


The Best Laid Plans of Gods and Men

by Julieoftarth (Wherethereissmoak)



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-05-09 00:28:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14705694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wherethereissmoak/pseuds/Julieoftarth
Summary: Jaime Lannister thought his soulmark featuring two swords meant his soulmate was his knighthood, until he clashed swords with a certain wench on a bridge and saw a glimpse of the same mark on her wrist. But before they can have a happily ever after, there are villains to defeat and wars to win. Soul bonds, however, go beyond houses and honor and oaths.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We need more Jaime and Brienne soulmate fics! So I decided to kick off this with one of my own. 
> 
> This is not long - only 14 short chapters. I will post updates on Tuesdays and Saturdays. 
> 
> Thank you to my beautiful and talented ashwritesstuff/thenerdyblogger for being my amazing beta on this. I was scared to write a canon AU and she held my hand quite a bit throughout all this. 
> 
> And thanks to all my online buddies for their support and cheerleading. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

Jaime Lannister fell on his ass.

During a normal fight, that would never happen, especially against a woman. But he had been imprisoned for a year and his hands were bound. But that wasn’t what caused him to stumble.

When he and Brienne of Tarth clashed weapons on this bridge along their journey from Stark captivity to King’s Landing, Jaime saw something on her wrist that knocked him flat on his ass.

Her soulmark. Jaime froze in shock when he saw it, and ever the warrior, Brienne seized the opportunity to get the upper hand.

“What ails you?” She asked gruffly. Ah, so the wench knew he had made it easier on her, that was something at least.

He didn’t respond but took a moment instead to try to gather his racing thoughts. Jaime had always assumed his soulmate was his own knighthood, or so he thought. And his sister had tried to convince him of that since they were teens.

But now he knew that wasn’t the case, and he didn’t know what to do about it.

Everyone in Westeros was born with a soul mark, one that was actually two symbols together representing each half of the pairing. Cersei’s was a crown and a ship, and Tywin had assumed her soulmate was a lowly fisherman and had ordered her to wear a cuff to cover it, so he could marry her off to a prince or a duke, as was the custom with nobility. Jaime’s was odd – it was two swords crossed. In many cases, that would mean his soulmate was a man, but he had never felt any attraction in that direction.

Just to be safe, Tywin had him cover it. Jaime heard some tales of knights of old who hadn’t had soulmarks and that had confirmed their decision to join the kingsguard and never wed. He started to dream that this might be his fate and took up more training, so he could be the best swordsman in the kingdom.

When he and Cersei began their physical relationship as teenagers, she had said her soulmate didn’t matter because if father had his way, she would be queen. Of course if his mark represented a vow to the kingsguard, that meant they could always be together.

So when his soulmark began to ache on his way back to King’s Landing from his captivity with the Starks, escorted by the lumbering woman pretending to be a knight, Brienne of Tarth, he assumed it was because he had been so long away from his duty and he was finally returning.

Never mind that he took such joy in japing the woman in question, laughing at each scowl that adorned her face when he spoke. Or that he was so impressed with the way Brienne had taken out those Stark men who had discovered their identity. He had hardly ever seen a man fight with such skill, let alone a woman.

“I could beat her,” he thought to himself. And suddenly that thought took root in his head and he could not let it go. Sure, it would be nice to walk to King’s Landing without his hands bound, but he didn’t mind traveling with her if it got him where he needed to go. But he really wanted to spar with her. “I wonder if I could beat her even with my hands tied.”

He still thought that maybe he could have, but now that he was flat on his ass he had lost his chance. Jaime looked up at the wench. His soulmate. He could scarcely believe it. Gods, she was ugly, although she had astonishing blue eyes.

He was shaken out of his reverie when he noticed how tense and combative she was standing, and her aggressive expression was not aimed at him. Jaime turned and saw men approaching and rushed to his feet, keeping his body between the threat and the wench.

He may not know yet if he wanted Brienne of Tarth as a soulmate, but he would be damned if he let anyone harm her.

**

The Kingslayer was acting strangely, Brienne thought. Well, they were tied back to back on a horse, but he was behaving strange above and beyond their circumstances.

He had actually tried to shield her when Locke and his men had arrived on the bridge. Now he was trying to tell her to not fight when their captors tried to rape her. Yeah, right, as if she would just lie there and take it. And what did the Kingslayer care if she died fighting or not?

In her short time with him, Brienne had seen nothing to prove him anything less than dishonorable. So why was he suddenly concerned for her welfare?

Their fight on the bridge had been invigorating though. At first, she thought he was trying to escape, but she soon realized he was just as much in it for the sport. She hadn’t met a challenger who was almost equally matched in quite some time, and she wondered what it would be like if his hands hadn’t been bound. And if he hadn’t stopped and looked at her strangely during the fight.

When he looked at her, she had felt something swirl in her belly that she hadn’t felt since that first dance with Renly. The thought filled her with guilt and regret. Not only had she failed to protect him, but she was comparing him to the Kingslayer. The Kingslayer who was very handsome. And had very green eyes. And was exceptional with a sword.

No, she had to stop this line of thinking. Her septa had told her long ago that there was no one out there for her, and that her soulmark was a mistake. What kind of soulmark was two swords crossing anyway? Now that Brienne was thinking of her soulmark, it was tingling a bit. She forced thoughts of it from her mind as well.

She thought about the bridge fight instead.  Brienne wished they could have a rematch. But with her probably dead within a few hours, and him likely to be traded to the Lannisters and back in King’s Landing soon, the likelihood of them sparring again was next to nothing.

Still, it felt nice having him at her back while riding this horse. Brienne took comfort in the fact that though they had started on opposing sides, they were both adversaries to the men that now held them captive. It almost made them comrades.

Later that night, she fought her hardest to keep Locke’s men at bay, and she could barely hear Jaime negotiating for her to remain a maid. Why was he doing this? Why was he protecting her?

He must have worked his charming magic, because she was brought back unharmed and tied close to him. She heard them offer him a meal and took him to the other side of the camp where she couldn’t hear what they were saying.

What she did hear was his agonizing scream, and she wondered what price he had to pay for helping her.

**

Jaime was relieved when they brought Brienne back instead of raping her, and when they offered him food, he was happy to accept. But things changed quickly, and they grabbed his arm and laid it on the table.

Locke ripped off his cuff to reveal his soulmark.

“Well, what do we have here? No wonder you were so keen to defend the woman! The high and mighty Lannister, paired up with that monster of a woman!”

The men in the group continued to tease, and Jaime prayed to any gods who would listen that Brienne could not hear them. With all his efforts to keep her alive, he had not had the opportunity to tell her about their marks. It would not be good if she overheard it from these men. Though he was still not sure what to do about the woman that the fates had connected him too, he had a sense of loyalty toward the wench since they had been tied together on the back of the horse.

Like her or not, he was intrigued by the idea of someone being important to him outside his family. To have someone in his life that could possibly come to care about him, and not just because he was a Lannister.

“She doesn’t know, does she? Else she would be mooning over you more,” Locke said, sneering at his mark. “But I guess that won’t matter anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Jaime asked, trying to pull himself out of his captor’s grip.

“I’ve heard tales about soulmates getting their limbs cut off with their soul marks and it severs their connection forever. You noble people have everything handed to you, so why should you be one of the few to find your soulmate as well? Let’s test these tales and see if it is true.”

Before Jaime could protest, one of Locke’s men swung his sword and cut off Jaime’s hand. His sword hand. His soulmark on his wrist. Gone.

His life as a knight was ruined, and to top it all off, he had also lost the possibility of connecting with his soulmate. A guttural scream emerged from his throat, and he didn’t know if the pain was physical or emotional.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime grieves the loss of his hand and soulmark. Brienne makes a vow to make sure he survives and makes it home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of internal dialogue in this chapter. Hope you like it.

Jaime Lannister was dying, but Brienne of Tarth was not going to let that happen. She knew what had happened to him was because he had intervened for her safety, so she owed him a debt, nothing more. Yet why did she feel an overwhelming tug of sympathy for the Kingslayer? No one deserved his fate, but hadn’t he also done many horrible things? Why did she feel sorry for him?

Still, it was hard to see him fall in the mud, and the way he attempted to fight their captors. She foolishly tried to intervene, but to no avail. Maybe that was why her soulmark was burning now. She had always thought the mark as useless, but maybe because of the swords on it there was something to do with her wish to be a knight – and the fact that she could not help Jaime Lannister was making it hurt.

Brienne tried to convince him to eat, but it seemed the man had no will to live. Finally, after she called him out on his own stupidity, he took a bite. At least it was something. Still, the twinge in her wrist didn’t go away.  Jaime looked at her mournfully when she rubbed it.

“They took mine.” His voice was low and weak.

“They took what?”

“My mark. It was on my wrist,” he said raising his stump.

Brienne looked at him sadly. She had heard rumors about him and his sister. Maybe because they were twins, even though they weren’t identical, they had matching soulmarks too.

“I’m sure she will still love you, you’ve been together your whole life.”

Ser Jaime looked at her, confused, for a moment.

“You think I’m talking about my sister?”

“Well, yes, I mean…I heard…”

Jaime sighed heavily and stared into the fire, nibbling on the bread. He was quiet for so long that she thought the conversation was over.

“Cersei isn’t my soulmate.” His voice was so quiet, Brienne was surprised that she heard him at all. Her mind reeled at this information. The queen and her brother were not soulmates, and yet had still chosen to be together in that way?

“I disgust you, don’t I?” Jaime asked, not meeting her eyes. Why did the Kingslayer care for her opinion of him?

“No, you just confuse me. You’ve done many terrible things, but…”

“But?”

“I know what you did for me. Why did you help me?”

Brienne was not surprised when Ser Jaime said nothing, staring into the fire instead. She wondered who his soulmate might be and if that person felt the same loss he was feeling in this moment. She couldn’t help but feel as though it were her fault.

Beyond her vows to Lady Catelyn, she made an internal vow to make sure Jaime Lannister made it back to King’s Landing, despite their current situation. It was the least she could do for him.

**

The wench was being painfully nice to him. It was bad enough for Jaime that he hadn’t had much of a chance to think about her as a soulmate, but now that he had lost that possibility, he was forced to still be in her presence while these men took them to Harrenhal.

The Maid of Tarth tried to defend him when their captors treated him cruelly. She convinced him to live. And the stupid wench tried to convince him that his sister, who she thought was his lost soulmate, would still love him despite his maiming. If she only knew the truth. But Jaime could never tell her, not now. It would be best to let her father pay a ransom for her and take her back to Tarth where she could wed a needy knight seeking lands and carry on her lineage.

She thought his sister was his soulmate. It was funny, he had not thought of Cersei at all since that fight on the bridge. Jaime wondered what she would think of his missing hand. She would probably be angry they were not mirrors anymore.

Jaime supposed he would find out soon enough.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at Harrenhal and received a better reception than he had been expecting. It felt strange to be separated from Brienne even for a short time when they were shown to their rooms. Maybe it was because they had journeyed together for so long and been through so much together.

Jaime’s anxiety at being apart from her was the reason he had no issue with dropping his clothes and climbing in the bath with her, despite her protestations. In truth, he rather enjoyed her embarrassment. It gave him some joy despite how awful he felt. How ironic would it be that he had made it this far and his hand wound still did him in? He was fairly certain he was becoming ill because of it.

Maybe it was his fever that made him bear his soul and confess his darkest secret to Brienne of Tarth in that bath. He bared his soul about the real truth behind why he killed his king. Maybe it was because even though they could no longer be soulmates, he still wanted her to be the one who knew him best. Everyone saw him as the Kingslayer, the oathbreaker, and he wanted her at least to know the truth.

**

She was in a hideous dress. Brienne thought she was out of place in every gown that she attempted to wear, but there was a special place in one of the seven hells for whoever had made this pink monstrosity she was forced to don for dinner with Lord Bolton.

Brienne’s uncomfortable clothing contributed to her anxiety, along with her wariness of Lord Bolton and the fact that her soul mark would not stop burning. Being next to Ser Jaime and seeing him no longer rendered feverish made her feel much better, however.

She was unnaturally aware of him throughout their conversation with Lord Bolton, even reaching over to help him with his dinner without having to look. And when he reached out to stay her hand with his when she was clutching a knife at their host’s words, her soul mark on the opposite wrist stopped burning.

It couldn’t be because…no, Brienne wouldn’t even let herself dwell on that thought. There was no circumstances in which Jaime Lannister would be soulmates with the likes of her. Not only were they opposites in their looks and status in the world, but she had honor and he well…at least until recently she thought he didn’t. Brienne did not know what to think of the knight anymore. He was a knight still, and although his honor had dents, it was still there.

Perhaps the ache in her soulmark went away because she heard that even though she had to stay at Harrenhal, Ser Jaime would return to King’s Landing. She would be fulfilling the vow she made to herself to help him get to safety. And later, when he promised to keep his oath to Catelyn Stark and get her daughters home, Brienne knew that her knightly honor was intact.

She chose to ignore how bereft she felt when he was gone.

**

_ Ser Jaime _ . Brienne of Tarth, who had only previously referred to him as Kingslayer and Lannister had called him Ser Jaime as they said her goodbye. She saw him as a knight.

He did not deserve it.

What kind of knight leaves his soulmate, or ex-soulmate, or almost soulmate, behind at the mercy of the Boltons so he can return his sorry hide to his family? Jaime closed his eyes and saw her standing there so proudly in that room when he promised to fulfill their oath to Catelyn Stark. Her astonishing blue eyes beamed with pride, an emotion that seldom had been directed at him in his life.

Sleep gave him no solace, for he dreamed of Brienne. When he heard that Bolton was leaving the keep and she would be let alone with Locke, he convinced his escort to turn around and go back to Harrenhal. It was time to redeem himself for the mistake he made by leaving her behind. She may no longer be his soulmate, but he absolutely could not live with the thought of her being harmed by Locke’s men or worse - being killed.

His heart slammed in his chest when he saw her in a pit fighting against a bear with nothing but a wooden sword. When the bear took a swipe at her and blood started to trickle from a wound, Jaime’s body took over and he found himself jumping into the pit between her and the bear.

After he helped push Brienne out of the pit, she leaned over the edge to help pull him up. She took his good hand in one of hers and her other hand wrapped around the upper part of his stump. As she pulled, the end of his stump pressed up against her wrist…and her soulmark. It felt like wildfire coursed through both of them, and somehow Brienne managed not to concentrate enough to pull him over the top, where they both landed on the ground in a heap. 

Their arms were still clasped together as images of each other’s childhoods and teen years flashed through their minds. 

A blue-eyed girl weeping over her mother. 

A green-eyed boy being forced to read the same sentence over and over again until he got it right. 

Wonderment at touching a sword for the first time. 

The joy of their first victories in the training yard. 

Memory after memory flooded through them. They saw each other’s lives. They saw them completely. 

Bran. 

Septa Roelle.

Cersei.

Renly.

The bridge fight. The hand loss. 

Jaime and Brienne laid there at the top of of the bear pit, breathing heavily, their shared gaze unbroken. Jaime felt a sharp pain above his stump and looked down to see his soulmark reappear on his arm just above his stump where Brienne’s had touched it.

He hadn’t lost his soulmate after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soulmark is back! Hurray! I was actually going to write this as a one shot and end the story right here. But alas, the muse made me expand it so there are twelve more chapters to go. LOL 
> 
> Next update on Saturday!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime and Brienne talk about their soul bond. Jaime makes plans that Brienne doesn't approve of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday! I hope you enjoy this chapter. It is one of my faves. Lot's of fluff and Brienne being Brienne. :)

They rode away from Harrenhal as quickly as possible. Jaime had seen a million questions in Brienne’s eyes after the bear pit, but they needed to put as much distance between them and Locke as they could. Who knew if the vile man would change his mind and demand Brienne back?

When they finally stopped for the night, Jaime mouthed the word “later” to her. He didn’t want the men escorting them to know the significance of their relationship. He needed to keep Brienne safe, and that meant that the less people who knew she was his soulmate the better.

After the maester Qyburn attended to both their wounds, they settled down next to each other, close enough to the fire for a bit of warmth, but far enough away that they would be out of earshot if they spoke quietly.

It took a moment for one of them to speak – neither knowing what to say at this point. He supposed he would have to start, for the wench was not known for being verbose.

“You were a cute little girl, but that septa of yours was a nightmare.”

Brienne gaped at him in surprise.

“I was not!”

“Not what?”

“A cute little girl. I towered over all the boys my age, and I had freckles.”

“And eyes so big you could drown in them,” Jaime interrupted her ramble. Brienne blushed at his words. “So, you saw…everything.”

Jaime nodded. “You losing your mother, your evil septa, the suitors, Renly, everything…” Jaime grasped for something to say about the feeling he had gotten watching Brienne’s life flash before his eyes when their soulmarks touched. “You’re…remarkable, Brienne. Truly.”

Brienne’s eyes widened at his words. He knew she was not used to compliments. “Thank you,” she said in a whisper. “I think you’re remarkable too.”

He shook his head at her words, for he knew what she had probably seen. Sure, he had his good moments in life. But the bad ones…the bad moments were unbearable. His relationship with Cersei, what he did to Bran Stark, all the things he did in his family’s name or with the idea of protecting them. The thought that those scenes had flashed through Brienne’s mind was more than he could bear. He looked away from her.

“Stop it,” Brienne said angrily.

“What?”

“Now that I know you so well I know what’s going on in that head of yours. I know there are things you wished I didn’t have to see, and to be honest some of your past is not very pleasant. But there is so much good in your past too. I saw how you treated your brother Tyrion when all others were nothing but cruel to him. I got to see firsthand what happened when Aerys died. You are an honorable man, Ser Jaime.”

Jaime’s mind reeled. He could not fathom that she had seen him, all of him, and still found him honorable. Could it be true? He had always thought it otherwise, but now, sitting here and staring into her guileless blue eyes, he dared to believe.

Without thought, he leaned forward and captured her lips, which parted in surprise. It took a moment, but she kissed him back, softly and with hesitation. This may be her first kiss, but in a way, it was a first for him, too. Where his sister’s kisses were hurried and fierce, Brienne’s were soft and loving. Cersei was fire and passion; Brienne was warmth and home.

Cersei…he couldn’t believe he ever thought the two of them were meant to be. The woman in his arms was his true other half. Brienne moaned into his mouth as he deepened the kiss. He wanted to stay focused on the moment, to stay lost in his soulmate, but the thoughts of his sister had brought their reality crashing down on him.

He pulled away from the kiss and looked around to see some of Bolton’s men leering at them knowingly. “I should not have done that,” he said softly. Brienne’s eyes filled with doubts and hurt and he instantly regretted his words.

“Wench, I didn’t mean it like that. I would kiss you all day, every day if I could,” Jaime said.

Brienne’s eyes widened. “Really? I wasn’t bad at it?”

Jaime chuckled. “Believe me, you have nothing to worry over in that area. It’s just…it may not be safe for people in King’s Landing to know you are my soulmate.”

Brienne gave him a look of sad understanding. “Your sister.”

“Yes. She has a lot of power, and to be honest, is not the most stable,” Jaime ran his hand through his long hair.

“Did Qyburn see your soulmark?”

Jaime nodded. “He had to when he was seeing to my wounds. He was very intrigued about it growing back. Did he see yours?”

The fewer people who knew the better. “I don’t think so, I kept my arm turned while he was treating my bear scratch and all his attention was on my injuries.”

Jaime breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, well maybe he will not be able to figure it out.”

He ripped a piece of cloth off his shirt and tied it around her wrist, covering her soulmark. “This should keep it safe at least until you get on the road to Tarth tomorrow.”

Brienne pushed away from him in shock. “Tarth? What do you mean?”

Jaime sighed, he knew she wouldn’t be on board with this plan right away. “Brienne, I will come to you as soon as possible. I will resign my position as the kingsguard, inform my father of my intention to marry my soulmate, and leave King’s Landing. It will be much easier for me to do all these things if you are safe.”

Brienne scowled at him.

“Have I ever struck you as the type of woman that needs someone to make her safe?”

Jaime had to chuckle at that. “No, but things can move much easier if you are not around for my sister to sink her claws into.”

“I’m not afraid of your sister. And we made a vow to Catelyn Stark to return her daughters to safety. Have you forgotten it? This,” she said, holding up her arm with the now-covered soulmark, “does not take away from our oaths.”

Jaime sighed. “Would it helped if I vowed to you that when I come to Tarth, I would bring the Stark girls with me?”

“You can’t promise that. You have no idea what circumstances they are living in, not after what happened to their father,” Brienne objected.

“You are right, but I will do everything in my power to get those girls to you. Please, Brienne. I need you to trust me on this.”

She was silent for a moment, but finally nodded. Her eyes didn’t meet his, so he knew she wasn’t thrilled about this plan.

“Thank you, I will distract them in the morning, so you can sneak away. Make your way to the closest harbor and take the first ship to Tarth.”

Brienne remained silent as she laid down on her bedroll. He had disappointed her, but this was the only way he could see out of this situation. He had to let her go so that he could be with her again. He would return to his family only to leave them again to be with the person who would be his new family.

Her silence was weighing on him. He didn’t want their last few hours together for a while to be spent like this. He got up and moved his bedroll so it practically connected with hers.

“What are you doing?” Brienne asked as he laid down next to her and put his arm around her. He kissed the back of her neck and she shivered.

“Go to sleep, wench, tomorrow is a busy day.”

She was silent again, and her breathing evened out and her pulse finally settled. Jaime assumed that she was asleep. He closed his eyes and was starting to drift off when she whispered his name in the darkness.

“Jaime? I’m glad it was you. There were a few nights, before I knew, that I dreamed it was you.”

Jaime pulled her closer. “I dreamed of you too, Brienne.”

He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**

Her soulmate was an idiot. They had just found each other and now they were going their separate ways? And he expected her to let him fulfill their vow to Catelyn Stark on his own?

She had agreed to his stupid plan because she knew he would not rest until she did, but there was no way she was letting him enter the lion’s den, literally, without her.

Brienne now followed his trail about two hours behind Jaime and the men accompanying him home.

When they said goodbye that morning, she thought her heart would burst in two. It was amazing to her how quickly her soul had become entwined with his. A few hours of separation felt like weeks. She hoped that damned fool of a man was suffering as much as she since their being apart was his idea.

They were a half day’s ride out of King’s Landing. Jaime and his crew were traveling slow, mindful of his recovery from is injuries. Brienne rolled her eyes when they stopped for lunch and she was able to catch up with them. At this pace, they would never arrive.

She settled down in the woods while they ate, hoping they would hurry. Jaime looked miserable, Brienne noted, glad their separation was just as hard on him. She enjoyed taking a moment to look at him. His beard was getting longer since they left the Stark camp, along with his hair. She supposed that would be one of the things they - his family - corrected when he got home. She hoped they wouldn’t – she hadn’t a chance to run her fingers through either yet.

Brienne blushed at those thoughts. She had never really allowed herself to entertain such ideas about a man, other than Renly.

She cursed herself when she snapped a twig while adjusting her position, causing the group to stare in her direction. Jaime narrowed her eyes, and Brienne knew he had spotted her.

“Brienne of Tarth – did you fail to keep your word?” he shouted toward her location.

She stepped out of the woods toward him. “I never gave you my word.”

Jaime sighed. “Of course, you didn’t, but we had an agreement.”

It was time for him to realize that he had gotten the most stubborn of women as a soulmate. He would not order her around like some swooning maid.

“The last time you left me it didn’t work out well, and I’m not going to risk losing you again, whether you like it or not,” Brienne said.

She was prepared to argue further, her stance stiff and combative. But he surprised her by reaching up, putting his hand behind her neck and pulling her in for a kiss.

“What?”

“You’re right, wench. We’ve only been apart for a few hours, but it felt like death. For better or worse – we will go to King’s Landing…together.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Drop a comment and let me know what you think. Next update will be on Tuesday.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime has a plan, Brienne wonders if he can pull it off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, thanks for the love on this story. I'm glad you are enjoying this crazy bit of fluff.
> 
> And as always, thanks to my wonderful beta Ashley, aka ashwritesstuff, aka TheNerdyBlogger.

**Chapter 4**

“I have a plan, wench.” Jaime tried to ignore the wince that crossed Brienne’s face when he said those words. “Do you doubt me?”

Brienne had the decency to try to look innocent. “It’s not that I doubt you, but your plans haven’t worked out well for us in the past. You left me. Twice.”  

Jaime frowned. “I won’t be making that mistake again, in fact, that is the main point of my plan. I don’t want to leave your side once we are in King’s Landing.”

“Jaime, that won’t be possible. You know this. And you know that I can take care of myself.”

“Against an entire squadron of soldiers, I have no doubt you could defend yourself. But against the perils of court intrigue…even you must admit you will be out of your depth,” Jaime argued.

“Yes, but you don’t have to worry…”

“Are you asking me not to worry about my soulmate entering the clutches of my less than friendly family?”

“Well, yes.”

Jaime just shook his head at her in disbelief. “If you think I’m going to leave you alone for a moment so that my father can corner you or worse… my sister... you are mad.” Jaime shuddered at the thought of what Cersei might say or try to do to Brienne, especially once their soulmarks became evident.

Brienne’s jaw tightened with determination.“And if you think I’m going to leave you alone to face them either, you are mad. Do not forget, I know how they are capable of treating you, and you don’t have to endure that again, not without someone by your side,” she said. 

Jaime was taken aback at her words. No one had ever been concerned about his welfare in such a way before. Brienne reached out and squeezed his hand.

“But Jaime, we can’t exactly stay side by side all the time. It is all well and good that we sleep side by side while on our journey but…”

“But whether you like it or not you are a highborn lady and it will besmirch your honor as the Maid of Tarth if we were to share rooms in the Red Keep,” Jaime finished for her.

Brienne nodded, blushing.

“I’ve thought of that, and it is why I came up with my plan,” Jaime said. “We need to get married, before we arrive in King’s Landing.”

Brienne gaped at him. “What?”

“We need to wed, so no one will question our desire to be side by side. And with our being soulmates we would marry eventually regardless. Why not now?”

Brienne still stared at him in surprise. “I can think of many reasons.”

“Like what? Are you opposed to being married to me, wench?”

She shook her head. “It’s not that. My father would be overjoyed at the idea of me settled and able to carry on the family name.” Brienne blushed at those words, and Jaime decided he wanted to see her blush every day if possible. It melted his heart. “And like you said, we would wed anyway someday because we are soulmates. And I care for you…”

Brienne’s blush deepened as she tried to get her words out. Jaime decided to help her out by leaning forward and capturing her lips. “I care for you too, wench,” he said when he finally pulled away. “So what are your reasons against our hasty marriage?”

“Well, for one, we agreed to keep the soulmate thing a secret from your family until we could figure out the safest way to handle the situation. Do you really think going in there already wed and waving our marks for all to see is the safest way?”

Jaime nodded. “I thought long and hard about this last night. If we were to go in and hide our marks, and someone were to find out our secret, which is bound to happen with court intrigue, it will lead to more problems. But if we enter already wed, you will already be under the protection of the Lannister name and my father will have no choice but to support our union.”

“But I’m…” Brienne argued, gesturing to the manly clothes she wore and her height. “Probably not what he wanted for the next lady of Casterly Rock.”

“You are my soulmate. You are a highborn lady. You are the one who is going to make me leave my position in the Kingsguard so I can take up my place as the Lannister heir,” Jaime argued. “In truth, he will be overjoyed. And with us already wed, he will not have to work overly hard to get our marriage approved through the crown and your father.”

Brienne nodded at his words, but her face revealed she still had more reservations. “You mentioned my other concern…the Kingsguard. You are still a member, Jaime. You took a vow. You cannot get married. I’m sure when we arrive to King’s Landing, your father can arrange your discharge, especially after your injuries.” She frowned at his missing hand before continuing.

“But if we show up there already wed, it would mean that you have broken your vow. You will have committed treason. Who knows what will happen to you…to us…then. Surely you see that this plan is not a safe one,” Brienne argued.

Jaime could see the logic in her reasoning, but he would much rather face the wrath of Joffrey over his early resignation than to throw Brienne unprotected into the den of lions.

“Perhaps I can help you out with that particular problem,” a voice said from behind them.

The two turned to look to see the almost-maester they had brought from Harrenhal with them, Qyburn, standing nearby with a small smile on his face. Damnation, Jaime thought, now the man knew they were soulmates for sure.

“I apologize for listening to your conversation, but I think you will forgive me when you hear what I have to say. As you know, I have been fascinated by soulmarks along with the healing arts,” the older man said. “When I studied at the Citadel, I read many books on the subject.”

“What does that have to do with us?” Jaime asked, exchanging a look with Brienne. They both seemed in agreement that they should proceed lightly with the man.

“Well, in the cases of the members of the Night Watch, most of them never have the occasion to run into their soulmate once they have taken their vows. And you are the youngest person to take the vow of the Kingsguard; most are older men who have lost their soulmates. So, this has not often been an issue,” Qyburn explained.

Brienne squeezed his hand, and Jaime leaned forward, anxious to hear more. “But there have been some examples of this happening in the past? Of someone finding their soulmate after their vow?”

Qyburn nodded. “There have. And the septons wouldn’t dare to argue against a match that has been preordained by the gods. Those matches supersede all vows you could make.”

“So if we were wed, it would not be a violation of my kingsguard vow?” Jaime couldn’t believe it was this easy.

Qyburn hesitated. “Well, you would have to be released from your vow in a sept by a septon.”

Jaime grinned. “How convenient, because we would also be there to get married.”

“But Jaime, we will arrive in King’s Landing in less than half a day, and I doubt Bolton’s men are going to let you delay their delivering you to your father for a detour at the sept.”

Jaime smiled, happy that she was no longer arguing against the wedding itself, just the mechanics of the plan.

“You let me worry about that, wench. By the end of the day, you will be a Lannister.”

She still had doubts showing on her face, but he erased them with a kiss.

**

Brienne had indeed doubted Jaime’s ability to get them wed before they were presented to Tywin Lannister, but she had once again underestimated his ability to talk his way out of situations. He had remained silent for most of the final leg of their journey to King’s Landing, and she knew him well enough by now to understand that he was formulating his next course of action.

It had taken everything in her being not to burst out laughing when Jaime fell to his knees once entering the gates of the capital city and started weeping. The men escorting the looked aghast that the mighty Kingslayer, no matter how humbled by his injuries, would display such emotion.

“I need a moment before I face my family like this,” Jaime cried, waving around his stump. Bolton’s men did not know how to respond, averting their eyes from his injuries. “Can I have some time to gather myself?”

The commander stepped forward. “We’ve been traveling for days, Lannister, and our orders are to deliver you to your father. Let’s get it done.”

Jaime ramped up the tears even more. He was so convincing, Brienne would have believed him if she hadn’t known he was faking.

“Please…maybe an hour in the sept to pray to the Warrior will help me phrase things to my father the way you want me to?”

This was all it took to sway the man, who knew that he would either be rewarded or condemned by Jaime’s words upon meeting with Tywin Lannister.

“Alright, one hour, no more. We will wait outside.”

**

Jaime immediately dropped his tears and grinned at Brienne as soon as they, along with Qyburn, entered the sept.

“You are unbelievable,” Brienne said.

“My people skills don’t always work, but they have gotten me out of more than one situation.” Jaime laughed, but then reached out and grabbed Brienne’s hand when he saw her frowning at his stump. “Stop thinking about the time my smooth talk did not work the way we wanted. It was not your fault.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but stopped when he squeezed her hand again. “We will talk about it later, wench, but we have to hurry. There are little spies everywhere, and while they gave us an hour, I’m sure we have less time before word of our arrival gets out.”

And so, moments later, Jaime was formally renouncing his Kingsguard vow in front of the Septon. It was odd how he wasn’t upset at all about it. In fact, it was like a weight being lifted off his shoulders. He had no idea how long he had felt trapped by his vow, but also not wanting to give his father what he wanted. But Brienne had come into his life and everything had changed.

For the better.

Immediately after the Septon signed a document declaring his vow officially null and void, the religious leader also signed a marriage contract for them. Jaime held Brienne’s hand and she placed her soulmark on his stump and they recited the words.

“I am hers and she is mine, from this day, until the end of my days.”

“I am his and he is mine, from this day, until the end of my days.”

Their soulmarks grew warm as they said their wedding vows, and Jaime felt a sense of peace and contentment pour over him.

“You are stuck with me now, wench,” he said, still smiling as he sealed their marriage with a kiss.

“WHAT IN THE SEVEN HELLS IS GOING ON HERE?” A screech came from the door of the sept. They broke their kiss to turn and see Cersei Lannister standing in the entrance, her eyes filled with so much rage they could scorch them all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger! Saturday for the next update.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime's father and sister learn of his marriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey gang, I'm glad you all are liking this story. This may be my only update this week because my estranged father is on his deathbed, so I may be traveling across the country in a day or so for his funeral and to support my mom. However, I may need a family break and will sneak away to update...who knows?
> 
> Thank you to my beautiful and talented ashwritesstuff/thenerdyblogger for being my amazing beta on this.

Beautiful, yet terrifying.

Brienne had encountered Cersei Lannister before when she had been flooded with Jaime’s memories, but seeing the Queen Mother in person was a whole different matter.

Her blonde hair curled beautifully around her. Small figured and graceful, Cersei was everything that Brienne wasn’t. If it weren’t for her matching soulmark with Jaime, she would seriously doubt that she had anything to offer him when Cersei was the alternative.

Still, Cersei’s eyes were cold and calculating as she glared at the two of them joined before the Septon. Her gaze took in all of Jaime, stopping and showing disgust when she saw his stump.

Brienne squeezed her new husband’s hand to let him know that she didn’t find him disgusting, and that she was here if he needed her. She knew how Jaime felt about her, but also that his bond with his twin had been strong all these years. Breaking out of that relationship would be difficult.

“Cersei, it is good to see you, it has been a long time,” Jaime started, his voice placating.

“It’s been a long time? Jaime, you’ve been gone for ages. And allegedly returning from the Starks for a very long time. We had no idea if you were safe, or dead or… and here I find you so close to home, but in the Sept instead of greeting your family?” Her voice had changed from yelling when she first entered to sleek and manipulative. Brienne only hoped she wouldn’t weave her spell on Jaime again. She gripped his hand tighter, as if trying to remind him what she was there for. 

Jaime stepped forward toward his sister, but kept ahold of Brienne’s hand. “My apologies, dear sister, but I had some business to attend to first.”

Cersei scoffed at this. “What business would  _ you _ have in a sept of all places?”

Jaime pulled Brienne closer to him. “I was getting married…Cersei, I would like you to meet my wife, Brienne.”

Cersei gasped at his words. Brienne wondered why she seemed so shocked, since she was presumably smart and could put together what was happening when she entered the building.

“Your…wife? Surely you, jest brother. Are you still being held captive? I saw the men outside. Is this cow making you marry her against your will?”

Jaime ground his teeth at her words. “No, she is not forcing me to be her groom. I am marrying her, gladly. And she is not a cow. She is the most noble and honorable lady in all of Westeros, and she has the most astonishing eyes.”

Brienne blinked at his words. He was practically shouting the compliments about her toward the end. She squeezed his hand again to let him know she was grateful, and that she was not injured by his sister’s words. She hoped he got the message.

Cersei frowned at Jaime’s declaration. “I see. Brienne…you wouldn’t happen to be Brienne of Tarth would you? The woman that was sworn to the traitor Renly Baratheon and then Catelyn Stark? The woman who was charged with bringing you back to King’s Landing, and did so in less than one piece?”

Brienne found her voice. “I am Brienne of Tarth.”

Cersei nodded to the soldiers who had accompanied her. “Guards, seize the traitor who served our enemies and held my brother captive. Don’t worry, Jaime, we will have this marriage annulled.”

Jaime drew his sword stepped in front of Brienne to protect her. She hated when he did that, and tried to move so she could face the danger side by side with him. But he kept pushing her behind him.

“Wench, let me handle this,” he whispered under his breath so that only she could hear. His eyes narrowed on his sister as he spoke to the guards. “You will not arrest Brienne, but will escort me and my wife to my father immediately.”

The guards didn’t seem to know what to do. Cersei glared at them and the one closest to her shrugged. “I’m sorry Your Grace, but he is our commander until the king says differently. We are to take his orders.”

“I am your queen!”

“Queen Mother,” Jaime interjected. “You may have the king’s ear, but you don’t speak for him. I wish to speak to the King’s Hand, our father.”

Cersei scowled and then tried to change tactics. “Jaime…don’t you want to speak to me, alone?” She smiled suggestively at her brother, and it took all that was in Brienne not to smash the woman in the face.  She didn’t want to think about how possessive she had become of her soulmate and husband already.

Still, maybe Jaime did want time alone with Cersei so he could settle things between them. Brienne started to pull away from him, but her husband held her hand tightly.

“Anything you want to say in front of me you can say in front of my wife,” Jaime said proudly.

“But Jaime, surely there are things that only you and I can discuss, that only you and I know.” Cersei placed a hand on Jaime’s arm, and Brienne fought the urge to grab the nearest guard’s dagger and peel her fingers off him forcefully.

“Brienne knows everything,” Jaime explained, and Cersei pulled back in horror.

“Everything?” She whispered.

Jaime nodded. “And for some reason that only the gods can fathom, she chose to marry me despite what transpired between you and I, despite the fact that I’m a Lannister, despite the fact that I’m a Kingslayer and a cripple.”

Brienne held back a sob at his words. Had she not done enough to prove to him that he deserved love? That he was a good and honorable man?

“And if you don’t mind, I think this conversation is best held inside the keep and away from all the little ears who linger nearby for the latest bit of intrigue,” Jaime said. And with that, he pulled Brienne with him and exited the building, the guards and a very angry-looking Cersei trailing behind them.

It took them four hours to get before the great Tywin Lannister, the court officials insisting they bathe before having an audience with The Hand of the King. Brienne blushed from head to toe when a bath was brought into their room, but Jaime sensed she wasn’t ready to be naked in front of him again and turned his back while she used the tub before giving him a turn.

“Jaime, it is good to see you alive, if not whole,” Tywin said when they stood before him. He stared overly long at Jaime’s stump. “And what’s this I hear about you getting married earlier today?”

Brienne felt the intense gaze of the Lannister patriarch take her in. She tried to stand as tall and proud as she could, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous under his scrutiny.

“And who are you, young lady?”

Brienne knew very well that the powerful Tywin Lannister already knew who she was, and that this was some sort of test. She met him eye to eye before responding.

“I’m Brienne, formerly of Tarth, but now of Casterly Rock, I suppose.”

Tywin surprised them all by letting out a loud bark of laughter. “I like you. You’re strong, a quality that every Lannister needs. And I suppose that only a woman dressed as a knight could be enticing enough to my son to get him to finally resign from the Kingsguard.”

Jaime squeezed Brienne’s hand and smiled. She was glad everything was going according to his plans, but the man had a tendency to get too cocky.

“He’s committed treason. He broke his kingsguard vow by marrying before asking Joffrey to dismiss him from his vow.”

Jaime pulled the document that the septon had given them releasing him from his vow and handed it to Tywin. He explained the legalities of his exit from the Kingsguard. His father looked impressed at Jaime’s thoroughness, if not relieved that he didn’t have to deal with a treason charge. Cersei seethed.

“But why didn’t you come to me first? I could have arranged for Joffrey to dismiss you and we could have had an official court wedding celebration for you,” Tywin asked.

“My new bride is not familiar with court and would be uncomfortable with a large gathering for my nuptials. Besides, I had my reasons,” Jaime said, glancing at Cersei.

Tywin grit his teeth while looking between his son and daughter, and Brienne wondered if he was as naïve about their relationship as he pretended to be to the world.

“I see, well, you are wed now and we will make arrangements for you to travel to Casterly Rock as soon as possible to run it on my behalf. But you must stay for the king’s wedding first.”

“You can’t be serious about letting my brother stay married to this beast? Just because their soulmates, doesn’t mean they need to be together,” Cersei sneered.

The mood in the room changed dramatically as an eerie silence fell. They all looked at Cersei in horror. Tywin looked from Jaime to Brienne and then down at their wrists where their soulmarks were covered. They had covered them back up before their kiss at the wedding, not wanting to parade them around King’s Landing and spread gossip.

“Soulmates?” Tywin said in awe. He was looking at Brienne with even more admiration.

But Jaime, his body was still and a coldness spread through him. She didn’t know if their soulmate connection somehow connected their spirit, but she was suddenly very aware of shock, sadness, rage and hate rolling through him.

“You knew?” he said in an angry voice, barely above a whisper. Cersei paled at his words. “You knew I had a soulmate. You knew who she was?”

Cersei stepped back at the coldness in Jaime’s voice.

“Renley might have mentioned something about dancing with her at a party and thinking her soulmark was unusual. He described it and I knew right away that it was yours,” Cersei said. “But when I heard how he described her, I knew I had to save you from that fate.”

Shame at her appearance filled Brienne. She didn’t belong here; Cersei was right.

Brienne wondered if Jaime also could somehow know the anxiety rolling through her, because he pulled her to him and whispered, “Stop it. You are worth more than an isle full of sapphires,” in her ear. Brienne’s eyes filled with tears at that sentiment. Jaime could be rude sometimes, but when it came to sweetness, there were none that could surpass him. No one had ever spoken to her like that before.

Brienne could still feel rage boiling through Jaime’s body as he turned to his sister.

“All this time, you knew and you let me think that I had no soulmate out there at all…why?”

Cersei looked at him, her eyes sad. “You know why, Jaime.”

Tywin slammed his fist down on his desk. “Your brother was in the Kingsgaurd and denying his right to be the next Lord of Casterly Rock this entire time because he thought he had no soulmate and you knew that wasn’t true and could have led him to his perfect match. Don’t you care for this family at all? I’m ashamed to call you my daughter.”

Cersei dropped her sad act and turned to Tywin with eyes of steel. “Soulmates didn’t seem to matter to you when you said that mine wasn’t worthy. When you ignored my mark and married me to Robert.”

Tywin crossed the room and glared down at his daughter. “When the choice came down to Euron Greyjoy, the younger brother in a family that tried to defy the crown or the actual king himself, there really was no choice.”

Cersei looked at him in surprise. “Euron Greyjoy?”

Tywin nodded. “Known for his cruelty to women throughout the Iron Islands. You should be thanking me instead. Now, you will marry Loras Tyrell in a quiet ceremony in the sept tonight, so I can be sure you will be no more trouble for your brother or for anyone else in this family for that matter. And after Joffrey’s wedding you will leave immediately for Highgarden. After your departure, you will never be welcome at court again.”

All the color drained from her face. “But father…”

“Enough, you are the Tyrell’s problem now.”

Brienne was surprised by the ease at which Tywin Lannister had rid himself of his only daughter. She said thanks to the gods that she had been given a more loving parent. Not that she really wanted to let herself feel sorry for Cersei.

The woman in question glared at Jaime and Brienne on her way out the door. “You will never make him happy, you know. Only I can. We came into this world together, and we will go out of it together.”

Cersei started to pull a dagger out of her dress, and Brienne stepped forward between Jaime and his sister, hoping to protect him.

Through their soulbond, she could feel Jaime’s rage at her actions. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Something stupid.” Brienne pushed him back when he tried to come around her to be on her side.

Cersei stood there holding the knife, a mad rage filling her eyes. “She cannot be her. She cannot be the younger, more beautiful one. Maggie was lying.”

“That fortune teller? What does she have to do with anything?” Jaime asked.

“She said I would be replaced by someone younger and more beautiful.” Cersei lunged toward Jaime with the knife, scratching his arm. Brienne looked down at her arm in surprise, because she felt a sting too.

The guards in the hallway heard the commotion and rushed into the room, grabbing Cersei from behind and disarming her. The normally stoic queen screamed and sobbed as they escorted her out of the room. It was disconcerting to see such a fall from grace.

Tywin shook himself out of his surprise at is daughter’s actions went into the hallway to order the guards to take Cersei to her rooms. Brienne was grateful for a moment alone with her new husband. She could scarce believe what had happened, and she knew that all of this must be impacting him greatly.

“Brienne…can you feel it?”

She turned to look at her soulmate, surprised to see that his sister already seemed to have left his thoughts because he was looking at her with excitement. “What?”

“It’s almost as if…I can feel what you are feeling,” Jaime said hesitantly, as if he thought she would think him mad.

Brienne let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods, I thought I was the only one.”

Jaime laughed and leaned in to give her a strong, but quick kiss. Their bodies buzzed with excitement from it.

“Do you think it’s our soul connection?” Brienne asked hesitantly.

“I don’t know, wench, I’ve never heard of such a thing before.” He kept peeking behind her, keeping an eye on when his father was going to enter the room. “But let’s keep it to ourselves for a while. I will feel better once we can get out of King’s Landing.”

Brienne couldn’t help but agree. “Yes, but we need to find out about the Starks first. We made a vow, Jaime.”

“Speaking of the Starks, Jaime, there is something I need to discuss with you if your lovely wife wouldn’t mind waiting outside,” Tywin said from behind them. Brienne was relieved that he had only caught the tail end of their conversation.

“Anything you need to say to me, you can say in front of my wife,” Jaime said. Brienne gave him a smile to show she was on the same page.

“The news is a little…disconcerting…for someone who has affection for the ladies of the Stark family,” Tywin replied haltingly. Brienne’s heart dropped, this would not be good. “I think it might be best if I discuss it with you, Jaime, and then you can be the one to bear these tidings to your wife. It might be best if she heard it from you.”

Tears flooded Brienne’s eyes. Had some evil befell the Stark girls? How would she fulfill her vow to Lady Catelyn? Jaime turned her to face him and cupped her face. His eyes full of sympathy and concern. “Do you want me to hear what he has to say and then tell you, or do you want to stay? Which do you want to do, Brienne?”

She stared into his eyes and felt a wave of comfort and love wash over her. Brienne didn’t know if it was their soul bond doing this, or the feelings they had for each other, but she was grateful. She nodded at him and stepped aside, turning toward the Lannister patriarch.

“I vowed to my husband that I would not leave his side, and I’m not about to break my word. I will stay and hear this news,” she said bravely.

And a few moments later, when heard about the murder of her lady, her husband’s arms were the only thing that kept Brienne on her feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Drop a comment and let me know what you think! The next chapter will be Jaime and Brienne in King's Landing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime and Brienne endure court life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone. Sorry I missed Tuesday's update. My dad did end up passing away, so my family and I drove across the country in two days for the funeral, and tomorrow we are all starting our journey back. So I'm posting an update today and hopefully next Tuesday I can be back on track with twice weekly. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this one and thanks again to my lovely beta ashwritestuff/thenerdyblogger who I get to meet tomorrow on my road trip! I'm so excited!

Brienne woke up slowly with the rest of the Red Keep. She laid still, listening to the sounds of life slowly building through the halls around them. Today was King Joffrey’s wedding to Lady Margaery, and the servants were waking early because they had so much to do.

Brienne turned over to watch her husband sleep. He looked so peaceful. The added stress she had seen on his face during their journey, along with the pressures of court life, were missing from his face while he slept. It was refreshing to see him this way.

In the days following the tragic news about the death of Catelyn Stark, the missing Arya and the newly married Sansa Lannister, Brienne had been bereft. If it hadn’t been for Jaime, she doesn’t know what she would have done. He held her when she cried, he sparred with her when she was angry, and he waited until she was ready to discuss their next course of action.

The best part was that because their soul connection was so strong, and getting stronger every day, he didn’t even have to ask what she needed. He just knew. And she knew when Jaime needed her strength and support in dealing with his family.

Tomorrow, she and her husband would depart for Casterly Rock, along with Tyrion and Sansa. Jaime, now high in his father’s esteem, had convinced Tywin that the safest place for his newest goodsister would be out of Joffrey’s sights. Brienne didn’t know how he managed to convince the king of this, but she wasn’t about to question it because she didn’t want to spoil their good fortune.

Even though Lady Catelyn was dead, she could ensure Sansa’s safety. And Jaime had started hiring sellswords to go out and begin searching for Arya. He also planned out side trips they could take on their way to his family home to conduct some of the search themselves, seeming to know that it was what she needed.

A rush of warmth and love flooded through her. Even though their souls were already irrevocably entwined, she fell more and more in love with Jaime every day. They came from two different worlds, but only the gods could have known that they were a perfect match for each other.

Brienne’s thoughts were interrupted when an arm wrapped around her and pulled her back into a solid chest.

“Go back to sleep, wench. You’re thinking too loud,” Jaime murmured into her naked back. Brienne smiled and turned around, so they were face to face. Jaime once again put his hand on her waist.

“I’m sorry, it is difficult getting used to,” she said. Brienne’s face turned crimson when she felt her husband’s naked body pressed against hers. “This too.”

Jaime grinned at her before placing a kiss on her lips. “It’s okay, I love living in your head sometimes wench. It’s a lovely place. And as for this…” he said as he ran his hand down her body. “I doubt we will ever get used to it. I plan on spending a lifetime trying, though.”

Brienne blushed again at his words. They had waited a week to consummate their marriage. She was too far gone with grief to even consider it earlier, and then she was too nervous. Jaime, who could feel her anxiety about the physical part of their relationship, did not know what to do.

Finally, she decided to bravely face it and just get it over with. She laid on their bed naked, waiting for it to happen. Brienne could feel Jaime trying bury his mirth at her demeanor.

“Brienne, this is not some battle that you have to steel yourself for. You don’t need to be terrified,” Jaime said. “We will never do anything until you are ready. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

Brienne relaxed a bit after that. Kissing her husband turned into more, and he eventually made love to her that night with such gentleness. She wanted to beat the septa to a pulp who told her that sex was painful and horrible. It was anything but. Brienne found soon that she couldn’t get enough of her husband, and she knew the feeling was mutual.

“It is,” Jaime murmured into neck, which he was nuzzling, pulling her out of her memories and into the present. “The feeling is very mutual, wench.”

She threaded her fingers through what was left of his hair after the King’s Landing stewards had given him a bath, shave and a haircut. Brienne kind of missed shaggy Jaime. “I’m growing it back, I promise,” he said.

“Jaime, we talked about this. Stay out of my thoughts,” Brienne grumbled.

“It’s hard to do when you practically shout them at me, especially when you are admiring my handsome self,” he teased.

What had come after their first night of intimacy had truly been a surprise. When they connected physically, their soul bond strengthened as well. They could now hear each other’s thoughts from time to time. They were still working on controlling the ability and trying not to flood each other’s brains with too much information.

The connection was especially strong when they touched, and the closer they were to each other the easier they could hear each other. They tested it all over the keep, and they could reach each other at a distance, but it wasn’t as strong. The empathy for each other’s emotions, however, was strong regardless of their location.

Jaime had run across King’s Landing once when Brienne was nicked in the arm during a sparring session.

Qyburn, who had been walking nearby during the incident, had a strange look on his face when he saw the interaction. Not long afterward, he had handed Brienne a book of soulmate legends and lore that he found, saying she would need it more than him. She hadn’t had time to read it yet, figuring it might be something to look at during slow times on their journey.

For now, she and Jaime agreed to keep their new gift to a minimum lest they draw suspicion.

Jaime snuggled close to Brienne again, kissing her shoulder. “Can’t we just stay here today? I’ve no particular wish to see the king get married.”

“He’s your…nephew,” Brienne said, though she knew the truth of Joffrey’s parentage. He gave her a silent thank you for that. His former relationship with his sister was still a point of shame for him.

“I know, but the sooner we are out of King’s Landing, the better,” Jaime said.

Brienne couldn’t help but agree. She did not fit into court life very well. Even though they tried to stay together as often as possible, there were times Jaime was pulled away for business with his father, or to handle the transition of the new Kingsguard Commander.

For the most part, she made it her mission to avoid the ladies of the court, taking special care to never be in her rooms so they would come calling. The only one she visited was Lady Margaery, to whom she talked about Renly. How long ago her time in Renly’s court seemed now. Brienne seemed as if she were a different person now.

During the rest of her time hiding from the women of court, Brienne wandered the keep. She found that despite her unique appearance, because she wasn’t dressed the part of a noblewoman, she tended to blend in with the influx of people in the castle to help with the wedding. In fact, most thought she was a man.

She was able to overhear many conversations, some of which, when once relayed, helped Jaime out with court intrigue. Brienne was able to watch unnoticed the goings on of those in power. She was glad to feel of use despite being so out of place. All the information was helping them remain on Tywin’s good side and much more amenable to their requests.

“Speaking of weddings, wench, I have belated wedding gifts for you,” Jaime said, finally forcing himself out of bed.

“Jaime, you didn’t have to get me anything, I have nothing to give you,” Brienne said, all the while trying to catch a stray thought emanating from him as to what the gift might be. He was blocking her well though, and made sure with a smile that he was far enough away so she couldn’t touch him and read his thoughts to spoil the surprise.

“Now, now, wife, stop trying to figure out what it is. Give me a little bit of fun here. And just so you know, you have given me a gift – yourself. I count myself blessed to be able to look into those beautiful sapphire eyes every day.”

Brienne wanted to kiss him for his words, but he backed up a step. He turned to grab a package by the door that she hadn’t noticed before.

“This one is actually for both of us, from my father,” Jaime said, laying the bundle on the bed. Brienne gasped when he flipped open the top of it to reveal two beautiful swords.

“Are those Valyrian steel?” she asked in awe.

Jaime nodded. “Made from Ned Stark’s sword. How fitting that we should use them to protect Sansa and look for Arya.”

“Your father gave us something so valuable? I didn’t think he liked me much,” Brienne said, holding up one of the swords to admire it.

“My father wants to worship at your feet for rescuing me from a dour existence as a Kingsguard for the rest of my life and the return of his son to the fold. He will start expecting grandchildren soon. He doesn’t mind the swordfighting, so long as you do nothing to damage future generations of Lannisters.”

This mad Brienne blush once again. They hadn’t discussed the possibility of children yet.

“You’re thinking loud again, wench. We will talk about it when the time comes, when we have finished our mission of protecting the Stark girls,” Jaime said.

“But what if the mission is never over?”

“Then we will figure something out. Please, Brienne, don’t worry about continuing the family line anytime soon.”

“But…it’s something you want?” She didn’t know if she would be a good mother, but the idea of a little child who looked like Jaime, but that she taught to wield a sword was exciting.

“Someday, if you want it too. As long as you promise me they will all have your eyes,” Jaime said with a grin.

“I don’t know, I’m partial to green.”

“We’ll just have to have a couple to make sure we get it right,” Jaime said. He pulled a sword of his own out to admire it. “You know, all the best swords have names…any ideas?”

Brienne hesitated for a moment, Jaime’s face reflected that he read her thought before she could put it into word. “Oathkeeper.”

A rush of feeling flooded through Jaime – love, awe, humility. Brienne leaned forward and hugged him.

“What about yours?” she asked after pulling away.

He thought for a few moments before replying – “Steadfast, after my favorite noble knight and lady.”

Brienne’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m no knight. I’m no lady.”

“You are both, and you are mine,” Jaime said, sealing his words with a kiss. “I have one more gift for you.”

He helped her dress and then dragged her through the keep to his old Kingsguard quarters. She couldn’t read him to find out what all this was about, he was busily humming “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” in his head to drown out any other thoughts to keep it a surprise.

And she was indeed surprised when he pulled off a cloth to reveal the most beautiful suit of blue armor she had ever seen.

“I hope I got your measurements right,” Jaime said, grinning as he sent her a thought about EXACTLY how well he knew her body.

Brienne could not even bring herself to be annoyed by his flirting, because she was so overcome with emotion. Her whole life, most men sneered at her, especially when she donned armor and trained to be a knight. Even those who loved her, such as her father and her trainer Ser Goodwin, had treated her desire to be a knight as a passing fancy. As something she would do until she settled down to become a dutiful wife.

Well now she was a dutiful wife to someone who loved her  _ because _ she wanted to be a knight. Jaime Lannister valued her for who she was. Jaime Lannister gave her armor.

Jaime Lannister was currently smiling at her and wiping tears out of her eyes.

“I wouldn’t change a single thing about you, Brienne,” he said.

“Nor I you,” she replied, but Jaime lifted his stump sadly. “Not even that. In fact, that is quite the reminder of your bravery.” Brienne kissed his stump, and the two of them were wrapped in a cocoon of love and warmth for several minutes.

Jaime finally stepped back from her. “Come, my lady wife, we need to get ready for that wedding.”

Brienne agreed. Though she was loathe to don the gown she was required to wear for the occasion, she was happy for it to be over with because she could be on her way out of court to fulfill her mission and start her new life with her soulmate.

But all their carefully laid plans went awry later that day when the king was suddenly killed at his own wedding.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks everyone for your patience! Just a few more days of waiting and I will resume as usual, I promise. Love you all. :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fallout from Joffrey's death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! I'm back! Thank you all for your kind words last week. It was a crazy time, but I'm happy to be home. I will be back to posting this on Tuesdays and Saturdays again.

Jaime knew that he had to act fast. Joffrey was dead, and Cersei was screaming over his body, blaming Tyrion. In his rush to get to the dais, he had seen someone grab Sansa and pull her away. Things were afoot in the capital, and if he didn’t get ahead of it, false accusations by his mad twin would harm them all.

He turned to Brienne, and Jaime knew instantly that she had read his thoughts and ran after whoever had taken his goodsister. Jaime shouted to the new Kingsguard Commander to evacuate the entire area, except for those on the dais.

The commander did not bristle at receiving the orders from his former leader and herded the crowd to other areas of the castle, where they would be questioned and cleared of wrongdoing if needed.

“Father, I need to speak to you and the small council, immediately. I think it’s best that Tyrion come as well,” Jaime said in a low voice, hoping his sister would not hear him in her grief.

Tywin, ever the politician, nodded, and turned to one of the guards. “Call the maester to examine the body and the cup. Call the septon to make the arrangements for the body afterwards.”

And with that, the patriarch of the Lannister line ushered all the nobles from the dais, and the small council members, into his chambers. Jaime somehow wasn’t surprised at the lack of emotions in Tywin over the death of his grandson. 

“I hate to say it, Tywin, but your son Tyrion does look guilty. He was holding the king’s cup a moment before he was poisoned,” Mace Tyrell spoke up.

Jaime knew he had to intervene before things got out of hand and his brother’s head ended up on a spike.

“That does not make any sense. Whoever did the poisoning planned this ahead of time. Tyrion had no way of knowing that Joffrey would make him his cupbearer,” Jaime said.

“Maybe he seized on the opportunity,” Lord Tyrell said.

“I don’t make a habit of walking around with poison in my pocket,” Tyrion interjected. “Little pants, little pockets.”

Jaime rolled his eyes. Why did his brother have to make a joke out of everything?

“Be that as it may, there was the is the issue of your wife, who seems to be missing at this moment,” Lord Tyrell said.

Jaime narrowed his eyes at the man, why was he working so hard to keep the suspicion on Tyrion and Sansa.

“I can speak to that – I saw someone grab her and pull her away after the king fell. My wife is chasing after them, and she will get to the bottom of it,” Jaime said.

“She was probably fleeing with her accomplice, and to be honest, your wife used to serve the Starks, so I’m not sure we should trust her in all of this either,” Lord Tyrell stated.

Jaime gripped Steadfast, ready to take the man down for speaking thusly about his wife, but his father beat him to it.

“I hope you are not implying that my gooddaughter is anything but honorable, Lord Tyrell.  My new goodson, your Loras, has some questionable things in his past, when it came to Lord Renly. And there is the fact you will probably want to discuss alternate arrangements regarding your daughter now that she is a widow,” the older man said in a voice so low and menacing the room was silent. If anyone thought it was rude for him to discuss Margaery’s future while Joffrey’s corpse was still warm, no one said it.

Jaime didn’t know if it was his father’s words, or the fact that Brienne entered the room looking formidable that silenced Tyrell.

“Any word of Sansa?” Tyrion asked eagerly, and Jaime wondered if his brother was starting to have feelings for his own wife.

Brienne scowled, and Jaime could already read from the thoughts she was projecting that it was not good news.

“She was taken on a ship that started to sail before I could get to it. They threw a body overboard, dead. It was the body of the man who had kidnapped Sansa from the wedding,” Brienne explained. “The ship…it belonged to Littlefinger.”

There were gasps around the room. And the murmurs began.

“Littlefinger, I wouldn’t put it past him to conspire with someone to do such a thing,” Tywin said.

“Do you think it’s the Stark girl?”

“If you will, my Lords, I have a information on the matter. I’ve heard whispers about Littlefinger conspiring to kidnap Sansa Stark,” Lord Varys, the master of whispers himself, interjected.

“Sansa Lannister,” Tyrion interjected. Varys nodded.

“Indeed, my Lord Tyrion. It seems he was none too pleased with your match. He did have an affection for Lady Catelyn and perhaps hopes he can be with her daughter instead,” Varys said with disgust.

“But is that enough of a motive to murder his king?” Lord Tyrell asked.

“With Sansa Stark...Lannister in his custody, he has a powerful negotiation tool with the North, and you’ve practically given him the Vale. He could be choosing a side, and it’s not yours,” Varys pointed out. “Killing Joffrey would be way to ingratiate himself with enemies of the crown.”

Silence fell over the room as they thought about the evidence. Jaime could feel how panicked Brienne was getting about Sansa’s kidnapping. He sent her all the comfort he could, begging her to trust him.

“I think that this makes Petyr Baelish our prime suspect in the king’s assassination,” Tywin said, and many around the room nodded with him.

“If you will, Lord Lannister, Littlefinger is cunning, with ears everywhere. Do you think perhaps we should not make it known that we believe he is the culprit?”

Jaime nodded. “I think we should handle this with all discretion, so we can get Sansa to safety before dealing with Littlefinger. She is a Lannister now, after all.”

He could feel the gratitude radiating off of Brienne, and also see it in his brother’s eyes. Tywin nodded. “You’re right.We need to get her away from Littlefinger, to protect the family, and to keep that important connection with the North if we need it.”

Everyone in the room agreed.

“Father, Brienne, Tyrion and I were leaving tomorrow anyway to go to Casterly Rock. We can delay our trip for a few days to attend the funeral and then continue under the pretense of that journey. Then we can instead travel to the Vale and determine if Sansa is there and capture Littlefinger.” Jaime knew that he and Brienne were the likeliest people to have his goodsister’s best interest at heart.

Tywin nodded. “A solid plan,” he said, looking around at the council. “I know the faces that are in this room. If this plan is revealed in anyway, you all will be arrested under suspicion of treason by order of the Hand of the King.”

The group filed out, but Tywin kept Jaime and Brienne behind. “Do you think you need to take more guards with you to the Vale?”

Jaime shook his head. “We will have a small group of loyal men with us, and Brienne and I are good fighters. I’ve heard Tyrion is good in a battle as well.”

Tywin snorted at this. “Are you sure you can fight with…” He waved his hand at Jaime’s stump. Before Jaime could feel any grief over his missing limb, Brienne flooded him with love, and he was grateful that he didn’t need his father’s approval or affection anymore. Not when he had a soulmate who cared for him so.

“I’ve been training with my left a bit, and I will continue to do so on the road,” Jaime said. Tywin nodded and agreed to make the arrangements for their journey

They were leaving the room, when Jaime remembered his sister. “Cersei isn’t going to like this. She was set on blaming Tyrion.”

Tywin frowned. “Let me deal with your sister. She knows better than to turn on family. I will arrange for her and Loras to leave for Highgarden immediately after the funeral. The further she gets away from Tommen, the better, I think.”

Jaime sighed with relief that his sister would have no more influence over his remaining son. His heart clenched wit sadness over what had become of Joffrey, once a sweet baby and now a dead king that not many would mourn. He regretted that he would no longer be around to guard Tommen, the young king. Brienne squeezed his hand.

_ We will return, someday _ , she thought at him.  _ You will see your son again. I vow it. _

And he knew that his wife would never stop until she fulfilled a vow. Suddenly, he knew that he wanted to have children with her as soon as it was safe for them to do so. Little blue-eyed warriors that he could claim as his own. Brienne read his thoughts and her eyes widened.

Once they were in the hallway, he pushed her against the wall and kissed her for as long as he could without taking a breath.

“I love you,” he whispered into her hair.

“I love you too, husband,” she said as she stroked his back. “Now come, we have a journey to plan.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brienne, Jaime and crew search for Sansa and Littlefinger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday! Hope you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> Thanks my lovely beta @ashwritesstuff/thenerdyblogger gave me some stern talk and encouragement when I was struggling with this fic at this point. Get you a friend that will do both. :)

“Wife, put that book down and pay attention to me,” Jaime said grumpily. Brienne continued to ignore him and perused the book on soulmates that Qyburn had given them.

“I paid attention to you all day long while we were riding,” Brienne replied.

Jaime placed a hand on Brienne’s leg. “Yes, but I couldn’t touch you then.”

“Jaime, the men and your brother are sleeping right over there.”

“We’ll be quiet,” Jaime said, waggling his eyes suggestively at his wife. Brienne blushed as the incorrigible man sent a plethora of sexy thoughts into her mind.

“Stop that!”

“Stop what? I’m just thinking!” Jaime laughed and shifted closer to his wife.

“You’re thinking too loud. I’m trying to read about why our soul bond is special,” Brienne said with a scowl.

“I already know why it’s special. It’s you and me,” Jaime said, looking at her so sweetly, Brienne simply couldn’t resist him anymore. They made love as quietly as possible under the starlight, and Brienne ran her fingers through Jaime’s hair as he fell asleep snuggled into her chest

His hair, which had been shorn off when he arrived in King’s Landing, was starting to grow back. His beard too. She liked it that way. This was the Jaime she fell in love with.

They had been on the road for a while. It had been tough on all of them at first, getting used to camping under the stars after becoming accustomed to the softer life in the capital. But Jaime had seemed to come alive once the weight of being near his family had lifted.

The group consisted of a dozen men, Tyrion, his squire Podrick Payne, Tyrion’s friend and hired sword Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, Brienne, and Jaime. They had made pretense of going to Casterly Rock but had been searching instead for Sansa Stark. A trip to the Vale revealed she had been there but was no longer after her aunt had met with a suspicious and untimely death. Brienne had no doubt that Petyr Baelish had something to do with the woman’s fall out of the moon door.

Now the group was assuming Sansa would be heading North toward Winterfell with Littlefinger and they stopped at every inn and village they could in search of her. It was a long and tedious process, but they persisted.

“At least we get a decent meal out of it every day,” Bronn joked.

Jaime and Brienne sparred each morning and after they camped for the night. He was getting quite good at using his left hand. Jaime had once been one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom, and it was only a matter of him re-learning most of his moves with the opposite body language. Brienne wondered if he would ever be able to beat her. As she tightened her arms around her sleeping husband, she scoffed at that thought.

“It’s happening, wench,” Jaime murmured into her before falling into slumber again. She couldn’t help but grin. Her husband loved reading her thoughts and would also make an appearance in her dreams sometimes. Dream sharing was also very rare for soulmates, but they seemed to have all the unique traits of a pairing.

In her reading, Brienne had stumbled upon stories of pairs who could feel each other’s emotions, or share thoughts, or join their dreams, but no pairings had all three of these skills. There was something unique about them. Hopefully reading further in the books would explain more.

If someone had told Brienne in her youth that she would have this kind of relationship, she would not have believed them. But she cherished the fact that Jaime knew her inside and out, and she knew him. Of course, it often annoyed Tyrion when they carried on silent conversations.

“Do you have to rub the strength of your soul bond in our noses?” he complained. It was then that they learned that he did indeed have a soulmate himself – and it was Sansa Stark. He had seen her mark once when they were sharing a room, but not consummating their marriage. Tyrion’s drive to find his missing bride made much more sense now and encouraged Jaime and Brienne to double their efforts in finding her.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jaime had asked his brother, but Tyrion just said that he didn’t think it mattered because their families were from enemy houses and she didn’t want to be with him after what had happened to Robb and Catelyn Stark on the orders of their father.

Brienne sighed, hoping that her alignment with the Lannisters would not ruin her chances to help the Stark daughters. She hated the decisions Tywin had made, but she loved Jaime and now that she was getting to know her goodbrother, she cared for Tyrion as well. The two of them had a bond over their unique appearances. Tyrion liked to joke about the imp and the giantess spending time together.

Brienne hoped that one day she could find a way to let the world know that all the Lannisters were not bad. When all this was over, maybe she and Jaime could start a family and raise their children to be good and noble knights, changing the family’s reputation forever.

She blushed at the thought of having children with Jaime. For the amount of times they had made love in King’s Landing, and quietly under their blankets or on silly errands to collect firewood or water in the woods during this trip, it was a surprise that she wasn’t with child already. But she was not, maybe the gods knew that it would have to wait for a later time.

She kissed the top of her husband’s head and started to fall asleep thinking about the green-eyed warriors they would raise together. “Silly wench,” Jaime murmured sleepily into her chest. “Their eyes will be blue.”

The next day, they stopped at the next inn to enjoy lunch and make enquiries if anyone had seen Littlefinger or Sansa. They spotted a couple at a table, heavily guarded.

“That’s her, that’s Sansa” Tyrion whispered, rubbing his soulmark. “I’m sure of it, although her hair is dyed black.”

Brienne at first tried to handle the situation diplomatically, but Baelish wasn’t going to give up his prize easily.

After a very brief skirmish with Littlefinger’s men (they were no match for Brienne, let alone Jaime and the other soldiers with them), they had Baelish in custody and Sansa Stark, no, Lannister, was among them.

She was terrified at first that she would be forced back to the Red Keep and be accused of Joffrey’s murder or tortured more by Cersei, but they assured her that it wasn’t the case.

“I was going to Winterfell. I don’t want to go instead to Casterly Rock,” Sansa argued.

“Milady, as I have told you, I vowed to your mother that I would get you safely home and I will keep that vow, I swear it,” Brienne said. “We just need to go to Casterly to establish a strategy for getting you there.”

Brienne knew Sansa was caught between a rock and a hard place – did she go with and remain married to the family that orchestrated the murder of her brother and mother, or travel on to Winterfell to marry into the family that had been part of the murder and betrayal itself? She hoped that her explanation of her vow to Lady Catelyn, and the kindness Tyrion had shown her while they were married, would help sway her.

After a moment of consideration, Sansa finally agreed. The tension of the group eased at once, except for Littlefinger, who scowled that his carefully laid plans had been foiled.

“We need to leave at once, in case more men are following behind for Baelish,” Jaime admonished the group, and they resumed their travels immediately. “Once we get to Casterly Rock, we can figure out what to do with him.”

They bound Littlefinger, but did not gag him, much to their detriment.  Petyr Baelish was a talker, and he tried to charm his way into the lives of the soldiers accompanying them, as well as the Lannisters. He tried to make excuses for his crimes and explain away the reasons for their suspicions. Brienne just told him to shut his mouth, and he would have a trial soon to answer for his crimes.

Jaime on the other hand, decided to beat him at his own game, talking. And no one could talk and be more obnoxious than Jaime Lannister, Brienne thought with a smirk. Whenever Littlefinger tried to be serious and steer the conversation in his own favor, Jaime would make japes about everything he said. When Baelish protested too much, Jaime broke into song.

Brienne couldn’t help but smile at her husband’s antics. Gods, she loved him so much. Sansa and Tyrion spent most of the trip in hushed conversation. Sansa was shocked to discover that Tyrion’s soul mark matched hers. It took her awhile to get used to the idea that she would be connected to the Lannisters forever, but once they promised to aid her in returning home to Winterfell with Tyrion by her side, she relaxed.

The two of them were a soul match growing into a love match after all. They exchanged small touches throughout the trip, and Brienne was reminded of when she and Jaime were first connecting.

“All this lovey dovey crap from these Lannisters is driving me crazy,” Bronn complained. “Can’t they just fook and leave us alone without all the longing stares?”

Young Podrick shrugged. “I don’t know, I kind of like it. Gives me hope that I may find my soulmate in the future.”

Jaime, for his part, took Bronn’s advice and made love to his wife as often as possible every time they camped. They tried to be discreet, but Brienne blushed every time they returned to camp from “errands” and received knowing looks from the group.

Still, the cold nights were much warmer sleeping in Jaime’s arms. And having him by her side when they first spotted Casterly Rock in the distance helped ease her anxiety about being Lady Lannister. Hand in hand, they strode through the gates of what would be her new home.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for sticking with me! We are more than halfway through this soulmate fic!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time at Casterly Rock as the group makes plans to head North to Winterfell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Totally forgot it was Tuesday, so I'm sorry this is late in the day! Hope you enjoy this chapter. :) Thanks always to my wonderful beta ashwritesstuff/thenerdyblogger.

Arriving at Casterly Rock was surreal experience for Jaime. He had long thought that as a kingsguard member he would never return to his childhood home. Walking through the gates brought back so many memories, some not so pleasant from the times his father worked so hard to mold him into the perfect son and heir.

There were other memories too--bittersweet ones of his sister and the girl she used to be.

Memories of his mother smiling down on him as he trained to fight with a sword for the first time. Memories of her dying.

Memories of caring for Tyrion when no one in his family would. Memories of riding off to squire and the sad look on his brother’s face for leaving him behind.

Jaime turned to the man in question and saw a similar array of emotions crossing his face. Coming home was no easy thing for either Lannister brother.

Their soulmates were also distressed upon entering the family fortress. Sansa was wringing her hands, and Jaime could tell from the doubt on her face that she was wondering if she had made the right decision, travelling willingly into the lion’s den. Tyrion grabbed her hand and they exchanged a smile. He hoped is brother would help the girl settle in for the duration of their stay with ease.

Brienne, for her part, was stiffening every time someone referred to her as Lady Lannister. Jaime could hear her screaming “I’m no lady” in her head, and it took everything in him not to laugh. Indeed, she was the lady of Casterly Rock now, and she was going to have to get used to it. He silently gave her a vow that he would do everything in his power to help her. She gave him a look of thanks, but still seemed ill at ease.

“I promise to never make you wear a dress,” he whispered in her ear. “I still have nightmares about that pink one from Harrenhal.”

Brienne swatted his arm at that.

He grabbed her hand. “Come, let’s go spar.”

She looks surprise. “But Jaime, don’t you have to greet everyone first?”

He shook his head. “They’ve waited all this time to see me; they can wait a bit longer.” He felt his wife relax instantly. Jaime knew the fastest way to ease his wife into Casterly Rock would be through a sword fight, and it would show the people here just what kind of unique and wonderful lady they were welcoming.

After several rounds, in which she trounced Jaime every time, they finally took time to formally greet the people of Casterly Rock, who gathered in the great hall. Everyone unsurprisingly took to her right away.

“You are kinder to them than any lady who has lived here since my mother,” Jaime told her. “And you make me a better man;they can see that. Besides, they also know you can beat me in a fight if I get out of line.”

Regardless of their reasons, he could tell Brienne was glad she didn’t have to work very hard to win them over.

After a huge welcoming feast, where Bronn and Pod took advantage of the drinks and the available women to flirt with, Jaime guided his wife toward his childhood bedroom.

“Do you think that Tyrion and Sansa are finally going to consummate their marriage?” he asked, and Brienne laughed.

“I don’t believe so. She is still very young, and while they are soulmates, your brother still seems to respect that fact.” Brienne didn’t have to add that the girl was still getting used to the idea of being a Lannister. 

“I wonder if they are going to get any kind of enhanced soul bond like we did?” Jaime already knew that Sansa and Tyrion, while their souls were matches, did not so far have any of the extra benefits that he and Brienne had.

He stopped in front of the door to their new chambers. “You are about to enter the room where a young and naïve Jaime Lannister grew into the brave and noble knight that stands before you.”

Brienne scoffed. “The brave and noble knight version of you was forged away from this place, I think. On the battlefield, in the choices you’ve made.”

Jaime leaned forward and kissed her. “I will always try to be the man you think I am, Brienne.”

“You already are,” Brienne said and he was overwhelmed with the feelings of love and trust that were pouring off her.

“It’s very strange to be in your childhood bedroom,” Brienne said, looking around as she entered. She smiled at the sight of all the wooden swords and shields in the corner.

“Do you mind? It would feel strange to sleep in the Lord’s chambers, especially with my father still alive.”

“I don’t mind at all. I rather like it. And with those swords, it looks very similar to my childhood room,” Brienne said, smiling wistfully.

“I cannot wait to visit Tarth and see where the young Maid laid her head, dreaming of her future knight,” Jaime teased.

“Dreamed of being a knight herself, you mean.”

He grinned. “That too. You got the best of both worlds, my love.”

Jaime held his wife close that night, staring up at the paintings of dragons and knights on the ceiling of his room. His dreams of becoming a knight had come true when he was very young, but he had not believed that he was an honorable one until Brienne did.

A week into their stay at the Lannister home, they finally received a raven in response to the one they had sent to King’s Landing.

_ Jaime, _

_ The Boltons have not taken kindly to the news that the bride promised to Ramsay from Littlefinger would not arrive, nor were they pleased to hear they had been stripped of their rule of the North in favor of Sansa and Tyrion. They have declared they will not leave Winterfell. _

_ By order of the king, you are to take the Lannister army and march North and reclaim Winterfell for the Starks. When we once again have a united kingdom under our family’s rule, we can join together to face the threat coming from the Targaryen coming for Tommen’s throne. _

_ As for Petyr Baelish, the general consensus in the capital is that he is guilty of Joffrey’s murder. However, you must conduct a formal trial at Casterly Rock for appearances. Do not give him the option of taking the black, the last thing we need is his manipulations within the Night’s Watch. _

_ I hope your quest to provide an heir for Casterly Rock is also going well. Between you and your brother, I expect to be a grandfather again twice over by year’s end. _

_ Your Father, _

_ Tywin Lannister _

Brienne started laughing when she heard the letter. “Retake Winterfell for the Starks. Did you ever thought you would hear those words from your father?”

Jaime grinned. “It is indeed strange. And we are supposed to be working harder on making heirs.”

“If we tried any harder, neither of us would be walking,” Brienne teased.

Jaime, agreed, but insisted on trying several more times before the day was over.

Littlefinger was locked up in the Casterly Rock dungeons when they had arrived.

“If I could just talk to Lady Sansa alone for a moment, I can clear all of this up,” he begged, but shut his mouth when he saw Brienne standing behind the girl with Oathkeeper in her hands.

They were unfortunately unable to conduct his trial, because the man was found dead from poisoning the next day. The maester confirmed that it was the same drug that had killed Joffrey, so it was suspected that Baelish had carried it with him in case he was caught. The entire keep was even more shocked when they found a suicide letter on him that confessed to manipulating the events that started the War of Five Kings and the attempted murder of Brandon Stark.

“I trusted him. He was responsible for the deaths of my family, for everything that’s happened, and I trusted him this entire time,” Sansa wept. Brienne felt something about her demeanor seemed off, but she elected not to say anything. The only thing that cheered Sansa up was the news that Tywin had approved his armies to go north to take back Winterfell.

Sansa insisted they send a raven to the Night’s Watch to her brother Jon with the information.  Not long after, Snow responded that he would support their effort to retake the family home. His only request in exchange was that their armies help in a war against The Others. Jaime could scarce believe the legends about the White Walkers were real, but if they were, the North would need all the help it could get.

The Lords of the Vale had pledged their support for Sansa once they heard of Littlefinger’s schemes and were sending their armies North as well to help in the retaking of Winterfell.

When discussing the upcoming battle, Jaime and Brienne found humor in the fact that each tried in vain to convince the other to stay behind in safety.

“You can stay here if you want, guard Casterly Rock, head to King’s Landing if needed. Especially with those rumors of the Targaryen woman wanting to claim the throne. What if Tommen needs you?” Brienne argued with him.

“Casterly Rock would be better defended with you rather than a one-arm cripple to protect it,” Jaime responded. He immediately read the thoughts she was sending about how she knew he was a more-than-capable warrior.

They both laughed at their failed attempts to ensure the other’s safety. “I think you mentioned that bad things always happen when we are parted, wench, so I think it is on the safer side for us to stay together.”

Brienne smiled at her husband. “Always.”

And with that, preparations were made for the Lannisters to head North to war.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Drop a comment and let me know what you think. 
> 
> Moving on to the north next! Thanks for coming along on this fun ride with me.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime and Brienne prepare for battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

“AHHH!!!! Jaime! Your feet are like icicles,” Brienne screeched as her husband climbed into bed next to her and strategically placed his feet between her warm legs.

“This is what happens, wench, when you insist on us being noble and following our vow to protect the Stark girls into the frozen wasteland of the North,” Jaime snuggled closer to her. “I can’t even enjoy snuggling you for body warmth that often because we are often on opposite watch shifts or in the war room planning.”

Brienne cuddled her husband, knowing that once Jaime was on a rant, it would go on for a while. She laid there lazily rubbing his back, transferring her heat into him, while he talked for several minutes about how a southerner should never come this far north during winter.

“Poor Jaime, how much you are suffering.”

“Are you mocking me, wench?” Jaime pushed up on his arm and glared at her, his eyes promising retribution that she would probably enjoy if she didn’t have to get out of bed soon.

Brienne laughed. “I wouldn’t dare, husband.”

They shared a sweet kiss before she jumped out of the bed and started putting on her armor. “Why are you always leaving when I am arriving? I miss my wife.”

Brienne couldn’t help but smile at the cute frown that adorned his face. “It’s not like you can’t send a thought or two when you miss me.”

“It’s not the same,” Jaime said, but he was snuggled under the furs so his words were muffled.

“I know, but the armies are almost gathered and we go to war with the Boltons in the morning, so there is much to do, for both of us.”

The army from the Vale had arrived not long after the Lannisters. Surprisingly, the Tully army had joined them. Apparently, Tywin Lannister had allowed them to keep their home after they took it back from the Frey’s, having no use for turncoats who needed aid at every turn. The Tullys rallied behind Sansa and her goal to take back her home.

“What do you think of Jon Snow?” Brienne asked Jaime as she finished buckling her armor. “He seems capable enough to lead us in this battle, I think.”

Jaime nodded. “And he is wise enough to seek counsel from those of us who have faced battles such as these before. He’s young, but I think has a good head on his shoulders. I remember when I first met him when I came to Winterfell with Robert’s party. Snow was such a young angry kid then. Now he’s wiser, harder. And he reminds me of someone…I can’t put my finger on it.”

Brienne chuckled. “Probably Ned Stark,” she teased. But she could feel through their connection that it wasn’t Ned, and whatever Jaime was missing was bothering him. “You’ll figure it out, love. Now, try to get some sleep. I’ll wake you when it’s time for dinner.”

“Alright, wench. Be safe out there, and stay away from red-headed wildlings,” he murmured, already falling asleep.

She kissed the top of his head and smiled. Jon Snow’s wildling friend Tormund had made no secret of his lust for Brienne, which she found annoying. Not only was it clear that she loved her husband and soulmate, no woman should be leered at like that. Brienne didn’t have much experience in dealing with these types of situations, so she just ignored it the best she could.

Jaime, on the other hand, did not ignore the situation. He let it be known loud and clear that if the wildling laid a finger on his wife, he would be taken down. Tormund hadn’t taken him seriously, but Jaime had put the fighting skills he’d been practicing to use and knocked the man on his ass. Jon had to separate the two, and gave the wildling a stern warning about how Westeros women did not appreciate the same sort of treatment as those north of the wall.

“Don’t worry, husband. I’ll take him out myself this time if he tries anything,” Brienne said.

“Please don’t, he’d probably consider that foreplay, I know I do,” came the reply from under the furs. She chuckled as she left their tent to find the Starks for a check in. Jon was once again pouring over the letter from Ramsay about their meet tomorrow to allegedly exchange Rickon Stark. It seemed that the Stark/Lannister armies had numbers on their side, even though Stannis Baratheon had thrown in with the Boltons. It seemed this was his last stand against the Lannisters. Brienne, for one, was anxious to meet Stannis on the battlefield and pay him justice for Renly’s death.

She could feel the anxiety radiate through Jaime every time they discussed battle plans. Unlike other men who would send their wives to safe locations until the fight was over, Jaime would never ask that from her. Still, he worried about her safety as she did his. He was just getting his fighting confidence back after losing his hand, and going fully into war so soon was risky.

But they loved each other for their concern, along with their mutual faith and trust that they were both ready and able to hold their own in the battle ahead. Brienne thought about the conversation they had last night after dinner.

“If it comes down to your safety or getting revenge on Stannis, promise me that you will choose your life,” Jaime begged.

“It’s not revenge; it’s justice,” she stated matter-of-factly.

“Whatever you want to call it, your life is more important.” Jaime looked at her with pleading eyes, and it was hard for her to respond.

“I will do my best, but you know I take my vows seriously,” Brienne answered.

“I know, wench, but I also vowed to protect you and keep you safe, even if you don’t need me to,” Jaime ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“I always need you by my side, Jaime,” Brienne reassured. “And I want a similar promise from you, husband.”

Jaime narrowed his eyes at her. “What promise?”

“That if it comes down to your safety or mine, you will choose to save yourself.” She didn’t even get the words out before Jaime started shaking his head.

“I can’t make such a vow, and don’t ask it of me. Would you be able to save yourself if I were in danger?”

She could not answer in the affirmative, so they both sat in silence for a moment.

“How about we both promise to try to live?” Jaime finally whispered. She nodded her head and they sealed their agreement with a kiss. 

Shaking off those thoughts, Brienne finished her patrol, and saw people start gathering for dinner. She went to wake her husband, hoping the few hours of sleep he got would be enough time to get him through their final war council before bed tonight.

Brienne entered the tent and blushed at the thoughts radiating off her husband as he had an…intimate…dream about her. She knew they were newly married, but hoped their passion for each other would always continue. Brienne was loathe to wake him and interrupt his lovely dream, especially since she didn’t have time to do some of the things he was dreaming about in real life. But they needed to eat and finalize battle plans.

Brienne shook him gently, but Jaime just pulled her down on top of him. “Ten more minutes, wench. I was just getting to the good part.”

She laughed, especially when she felt the evidence of his excitement press against her leg. “I’m so sorry Jaime, but we need to get going.”

Jaime sighed, gave his wife a very thorough kiss, and stood up. “Alright, but I plan on demonstrating some of that dream to you later.”

“Not that it doesn’t sound pleasant, but we have to get our rest before the battle,” Brienne argued.

“Pleasant? Oh, it will be much more than pleasant, wife. And don’t you know I will be unfocused on the battlefield if you leave me in such a state?” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him.

Brienne hugged him back and kissed his neck. “I don’t know. Maybe you can take your frustration out on the battlefield tomorrow. It might give you an extra edge.”

Jaime growled and kissed her. “I do not like your wench logic.”

She laughed and led him to the food tent, where spirits were surprisingly high despite what they would be facing tomorrow. They spent an hour chatting and joking with Tyrion, Bronn, and Pod. Podrick seemed nervous about his first battle tomorrow, but had been training with them for a while and they were confident in his abilities. Bronn kept mumbling about how he better get a large castle and the prettiest of wives out of all of this, but Brienne knew that he carried an affection for the Lannister brothers and would not leave their side if he received a better offer.

Jaime had managed to persuade at least one person he loved to stay out of harm’s way. Tyrion would watch the battle from afar with his wife. He seemed resigned to this, but did his best to encourage and support those who would be fighting.

Tormund made a move to approach their table, but backed away slowly when both Jaime and Brienne stood and glared at him. They hoped he finally got the message.

“Do you think Wildlings have soulmates?” Tyrion asked after laughing at the incident.

“I think they do, they are people just like the rest of us. But with the dangerous life they have had to live in the far North, it may be the case that many have not lived long enough to find theirs,” Brienne said. “They are probably less common and that is why the fact that Jaime and I are matched doesn’t matter to Tormund as much as it would otherwise.”

Jaime kissed his wife on the cheek. “I can’t blame him for his attraction to you though.”

Brienne shook her head at him. “Jaime, please. I know what I look like.”

He frowned at her. “You mean strong, powerful, astonishing, and the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen?”

Brienne blinked at him. Her soulmate always knew the right thing to say. She sent him a silent message of love before finishing her dinner. She showed her appreciation for him through kisses when they were back in their tent later.

Jaime groaned. “Wench, please tell me you weren’t serious about waiting until after the battle. I’m not sure I can.”

Brienne smiled at her husband and started stripping off her clothes. “Of course, I wasn’t serious.”

Jaime grinned and also began undressing. “Good, because tomorrow may be our last day in this world, and I want to spend my last night making love to my wife.”

Those words came back to haunt him the next day when the bottom dropped out from under him. In the midst of battle, he stopped being able to sense his wife’s thoughts and feelings. He reached out through the soul bond and got nothing. Brienne was gone.

“Brienne!” He screamed, knocking men out of his way as he searched for his missing wife.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for this cliffhanger. Don't hate me! Tuesday will be here before you know it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brienne's POV of the battle and more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the angsty ending to the last chapter. I hope this one is the sweet balm you need for that. This chapter is one of my faves. 
> 
> Thanks always to my lovely thenerdyblogger for being the best beta and friend ever. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Brienne watched as Jaime rode away with his men, keeping her eyes on him until the very last second.

_ Stop staring at my ass, wench, and take your troops toward your place on the battlefield.  _ Jaime’s thoughts entered her brain, causing her to smile.

_ Shut up, idiot. _

_ Idiot? How rude you’ve become, wench. _

_ Well you call me wench, so I’m going to call you idiot until you can remember my name. _

She felt mirth coming from him, before his feelings turned serious.

_ Brienne? Be safe. I love you. _

_ I love you too, Jaime. Please don’t die. _

With one last look in her husband’s direction, Brienne led her troops to their designated location for the battle. She had asked Jon Snow for a position across from Stannis’ men, and he had granted her request.

Once the battle had begun, they made quick work of Stannis’ men compared to the other groups fighting the Boltons. The Baratheon men were hungry, cold, and tired and it showed. The Lannister men who had been assigned to her were cut through like flies.

It did not take Brienne long to get to Stannis. He was staring at her with a resigned expression.

“You seem hells bent on getting to me, girl,” he said.

“I was kingsguard to your brother, Renly Baratheon and I saw him killed by a shadow with your face. Do you deny that you caused his death?” Brienne sat proud and tall on her horse.

Stannis only shook his head.

“On behalf of the rightful king Renly Baratheon, I sentence you to die.”

Brienne brought her sword down on Stannis, landing a fatal blow. The men around him rallied in the fight, angered over their dead king. They fought with more fervor, which took her by surprise. Brienne and her men fought back valiantly, trying to regain their upper hand.

Brienne was able to take out several of them, but not before she felt something sharp sting her side. Then her shoulder.

_ I’ve been stabbed, _ she thought. She turned to see Stannis making a last moment rally, bringing himself to his feet despite all the blood he had lost.

“If I’m going to die today, I’m not going alone,” he said. It confirmed Brienne’s suspicions that there was nothing honorable about Stannis. She saw the man slumped to the ground before she herself fell. Brienne watched him, waiting for him to rise and take another stab at her, but his breathing slowed to a halt.

_ I hope Jaime finds me _ , Brienne thought before slowly slipping into unconscious.  _ I promised him I would try to be safe and he needs to yell at me _ .

**

Brienne woke slowly. Meaning she came back to the world a little bit at a time. Her brain turned on first, long enough for her to realize that she was alive and no longer in the battlefield. Jaime must have realized it a moment later because a rush of both relieved and panicked thoughts from him flooded her mind.

Her ears opened and she could hear him. “Brienne, wench, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?”

She found that she couldn’t do that. But her toes...she could wiggle her toes. That was progress. Slowly, feeling crept up her body and she felt intense pain in her side and shoulder. Stab wounds. Stannis. The battle.

Why was Jaime next to her? Shouldn’t he be out in the field fighting?! He had made a vow!

Jaime’s chuckle echoed through the room as Jaime read her thoughts. “That’s my wench, always thinking of duty first, despite the fact she is barely conscious.”

“Ser Jaime, pardon me for intruding, but who are you talking to, and how do you know the lady is awake?” A stammering voice in the room indicated they were not alone.

“Well first, she’s wiggling her toes.” There was a gasp around the room at Jaime’s words. Apparently, there were others here too. Watching her sleep. It was quite embarrassing. Jaime squeezed her hand.

“Do you think you all could give us a few minutes? Maester, you can stay.”

Brienne heard the sound of the room clearing at her husband’s request.

“To answer your question, Maester, Brienne is my soulmate and we can share thoughts. I knew the moment she was unconscious, and I knew the moment she was awake,” Jaime explained.

“Oh, I’m no Maester, not yet, at least. The name is Sam Tarly. I think you knew my father.”

Jaime grunted in agreement, and Brienne read from him that the man had died on the battlefield.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Jaime said.

“It’s all right, he was…not…well we just weren’t really on speaking terms,” Sam replied.

“Believe me, I completely understand.” While Brienne enjoyed listening to her husband’s voice, she would really like to open her eyes and be able to contribute to the conversation.

“My wife is very annoyed right now that she is not fully awake, is there anything you can do to help?”

Sam gasped. “Wait, you can sense each other’s thoughts AND feelings?”

She could feel Jaime’s frustration with the man’s questions. “Yes, yes, we have all those plus the dream sharing too. We know it’s rare for soulmates to have all three qualities.”

Though she was unable to see him, Brienne could tell the almost-maester was shaken by Jaime’s words. “Rare? Almost impossible, you mean. I’ve only heard of a few cases, and one of those was in a prophecy.”

“A prophecy?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I will see if I can find it in one of my books for you. Let’s find out what’s ailing your wife right now.”

“I think it is probably the stab wounds,” Jaime teased, and Brienne chided him for making light of the situation.

“It’s how I cope, wench,” he responded. Brienne could feel the weight of how worried Jaime had been for her flowing out of him. And he felt tired, like he hadn’t slept in days. Poor Jaime. If she could move, she would wrap her arms around him.

“Can you stop talking to her without her carrying on her half of the conversation? It is a bit unnerving,” Sam said.

“Sorry.”

She felt the man examine her. “It looks like her wounds on her shoulder and side are healing nicely. She still has a large bump on her head from when she fell, that could be why she hasn’t opened her eyes, nor can speak yet,” Sam said.

Brienne wanted to groan in frustration, but her body was not cooperating.

“When do you think she will be fully awake?” Jaime asked, to which Brienne grumbled that she was awake.

“Head wounds can be difficult, Ser Jaime, but I think that it should be soon.” The man left with a promise that he would return later to check on them, and with that book he mentioned. On the way out the door, he tripped over something and a loud clanking sound filled the room. Jaime let her know that the man had tripped over her armor, which was laying near the door.

“I’m so sorry, Ser!” The man gasped. “Is this her sword? It’s Valyrian steel?”

Jaime gave the affirmative and the man walked back in their direction. “And you, Ser, do you have a Valyrian steel sword as well?”

Brienne heard the sound of Jaime unsheathing his sword, and wondered if Sam was shaking in his boots. “I do, and you know, we’ve soulmarks to match. Two cross swords.”

Sam was silent, and Brienne wondered if she had missed him leaving the room.

“Are you well, lad? You’ve gone pale,” Jaime said.

“I…uh…yes…ser. I…just have to find that book for you. NOW,” Sam said, and Brienne heard his footsteps scurry away.

“What a strange man,” Jaime laughed as he returned to Brienne’s side. “Now, wench, why I love looking at your lovely visage in any form, I do miss that scowl of yours. And your eyes. I’m dying to see those sapphire gems once again. Any chance you will open them soon?”

_ I’m trying, they are just…heavy _ , Brienne argued, her whole body tensed with frustration.

“Easy, Brienne. Stress probably will not help the situation. Besides, if anyone can win a battle of wills with their own body, it’s you,” Jaime assured her. He planted a kiss on her lips and she was delighted to know that she had feeling in them. His lips felt warm and soft. “Gods, wench, I’ve missed you. It’s quite…lonely without you knocking around in my skull, yelling at me all day long.”

Brienne mentally glared at him and hoped he understand how annoyed she was with his japing. He just chuckled and proceeded to fill her in on what she had missed during and after the battle. Ramsay Bolton had tried to rile Jon Snow by releasing Rickon Stark and shooting arrows at him. However, Rickon had managed to dodge all of the arrows and made it to their side safely. The forces that included the Wildlings, the armies of several Northern lords, along with those from the Vale, the Tullys and the Lannisters proved too much for the Bolton and Baratheon men.

The Starks once again held Winterfell. Rickon was currently named Warden of the North, with Tyrion serving as his advisor at Sansa’s behest.

“Father is probably very pleased with this turn of events,” Jaime laughed. “Lannisters in King’s Landing. Lannisters in the North. Soon you and I will be back at Casterly Rock. All his dreams have come true.”

Brienne wondered where Tywin Lannister would set his sights next. She could put nothing past him.

Jaime had found Brienne’s body next to the deceased Stannis. “I never panicked so much at the sight of blood, even when I was a young boy. But seeing you covered with it…” his voice trailed off. Brienne longed to comfort him.

The remaining Baratheon men had either fled back to their homes or surrendered. Jon pardoned them in exchange for their vow to fight against the Night King and his army, saying they needed every man they could get.

The armies from their side in the recent battle were camped still around Winterfell, where they were preparing for both winter and war. A mostly-unified Westeros was prepared for the Long Night, whenever it would begin.

Jaime also bore news of the keep’s family.

“Brandon Stark has arrived in Winterfell as well. He is a bit…different than when he left here,” Jaime announced. Thinking he was referring to the Stark boy’s handicap, Brienne started to panic. What would happen to Jaime if everyone knew that he pushed Bran out of that window.

“Relax, love. I’ve been forgiven. The Stark boy is not even the Stark boy anymore, really. Calls himself the Three-Eyed Raven and says he wouldn’t have his powers without my…push…in that direction,” Jaime reassured her.

She calmed a little, but promised to herself she would keep an eye on Jaime lest anyone decided to exact revenge. If she could ever move again, that is.

“Oh, and I forgot to tell you the best part. Arya Stark has returned as well. Your vow to Catelyn Stark is fulfilled,” Jaime said, and Brienne could feel his pride at her radiating off him. Brienne gasped, and this time it was an audible gasp that rang loudly in both their ears after her silence. Her eyes shot open.

“Brienne!” Jaime practically shouted, as he laid his forehead against hers and gazed closely into her eyes. “I should have known that it wouldn’t be my sweet kisses to awake you, but the knowledge that you fulfilled your knightly vows.”

She couldn’t take her eyes off her husband. He did indeed look tired. But he was alive, and as beautiful as ever. Brienne tentatively tested whether she could move her arms and when she was able she reached up and cupped his face, running her fingers through his beard, that was now a bit thicker. She tugged his face the remaining few inches to hers and kissed him thoroughly.

“My wench,” he whispered into her neck when climbed into the bed next to her. “No more vows to fulfill.”

Brienne separated from him to look into his eyes. “No more vows? Did you forget the ones we made in the sept? I am his, he is mine.”

“From this day, until the end of my days,” Jaime finished for her. “Let’s not make me think those days will end anytime soon again, please.”

Brienne kissed him again as a promised, and they were lost in each other until they heard someone clearing their throat at the room’s entrance. She had to hold in a giggle at the disgruntled expression on Jaime’s face.

“I apologize, Ser Jaime, Lady Brienne, for interrupting…er…something you shouldn’t be doing anyway because of the lady’s injuries,” a younger man dressed in maester’s robes but without the chains.

Jaime at least had the decency to look sheepish. “You must be Sam,” Brienne said.

Sam’s eyes widened. “You really were awake before! Does this mean the hearing each other’s thoughts, feelings and dreams is also true?”

When the two of them nodded, he remembered the book he was carrying. “I wanted to show you this book right away. I’ve been researching history and legends about the Night King and ways to defeat him. I’ve even read some of the prophecies, although those weren’t very helpful because it is not as if you can make those happen, they sort of happen on their own. Like you two.”

The man finally paused for a breath.

“What?” Brienne asked, not following anything he was saying.

“I’ve been researching how to defeat the Night King and well, you’re it.”

“We’re what?”

“You two, your soul match and your swords, are the key to winning the war and saving the living.”

They stared at him in confusion, unable to formulate any words or questions to his beliefs. And then her husband, who always had to make light of things, had to say something.

“Well, I suppose this means our retirement to Casterly Rock will be significantly delayed, wench.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! I have found I'm a big fan of Jaime and Brienne carrying on conversations through their soul connection and people not knowing what they are talking about. LOL


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brienne keeps whatever is troubling her from Jaime, and everyone prepares for the war against the Night King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday! Thanks always to my beta @thenerdyblogger. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Jaime hurried through the halls of Winterfell, eager to take a bath because he was covered with dirt from head to toe. He and his wife had been training in the yard all day, with the new knowledge that fighting side by side with their matching swords may be what was needed to save the world when the long night came.

_ One soul, divided in two. One sword, divided in two. When all become one, the night will end and the dawn will start anew. _

The words, part of the prophecy Sam had read them nearly a month ago echoed through Jaime’s mind. He didn’t know how it would all work in the end, but he liked the idea of being with Brienne in the battle. Their armies had plans to march north to the Wall tomorrow, since word had arrived that the army of the dead was fast approaching the Night’s Watch.

After her injuries, they managed to keep Brienne in bed for only a few days of rest before she demanded to get up and return to her duties. Jaime kept her distracted in that bed for as long as he could, but even gentle lovemaking,mindful of her wounds, could not keep his wench away from Oathkeeper and her armor for long.

So, they trained, and strategized with Snow and the others. And tomorrow it would all come to fruition. Jaime took off his gear slowly, wondering when he had gotten so old and a day’s work in the training yard could make his muscles ache so. He groaned as he lowered himself into the bath. He would soak as long as he could, but he didn’t want to use up all the water’s heat before his wife arrived. She was probably aching as well, though she was much younger and more spry than him.

When they were putting away the equipment from today’s training, Bran Stark had approached Brienne and asked if he could speak to her alone, and the Tarly lad was with him as well. She had tried to include him, but Jaime excused himself instead. He knew his wife would fill him in on the conversation, and if he was honest about it he would say the Stark boy made him a little nervous, despite the forgiveness that had been given when he arrived.

Jaime did his best to wash his aching muscles with his one arm. He didn’t even bother washing his hair. Brienne would throttle him if he took her favorite task away. His soulmate loved to run her fingers through his growing mane, and who was he to deny her?

He started to doze in his bath, until the opening of the door startled him awake. Brienne entered the room, a troubled expression on her face. The emotions that poured out of her were surprise, disbelief and fear.

“What is it, Brienne? What did the Stark boy tell you?”

Brienne looked up at him as if she had just noticed him in the room. “Oh it’s nothing,” she stammered quickly, her voice a terrified whisper.

“Wench,” Jaime said in a stern tone. “You forget I can feel everything coming off you right now. If you don’t want to talk about it, I can just…” He tentatively touched her mind with his to discern what was bothering his wife.

“No!” She cried, and immediately broke into the chorus of “The Bear and The Maiden Fair” in her head to drown out her thoughts so he couldn’t read them.

Shocked, Jaime stood up quickly out of the bath. Brienne’s eyes dropped as she took in his naked form, and he grinned when her desire for him slipped through the mental barrier she had thrown up.

“Like what you see wench? Tell me what’s bothering you and you will be rewarded greatly,” he teased, hoping that going the playful route would loosen her up from whatever was causing her trouble.

Brienne sighed and sat down on the bed, slowly unbuckling her armor. “I’m sorry Jaime, I’m just not in the mood tonight.”

He stepped out of the bath and pulled up his breeches before hurrying over to his wife.

“Now I know something ails you, for you have never turned down an opportunity to make love,” he said, taking her hand in his. “Brienne, please tell me what’s bothering you, so I can help fix it.”

“This isn’t something you can fix, Jaime. And I don’t want to talk about it right now,” Brienne said, staring down at their hands.

“Is it me? Did Brandon Stark tell you something that is alarming about my past or my…future?” Jaime gulped at the thought. The young Stark lord had strange powers indeed, and if something terrible was bound to happen to him soon, that would maybe be enough to inspire Brienne’s strange behaviors. “You’ve never blocked me out before.”

He tried his best not to be hurt that she wasn’t sharing her whole self with him right now. They had always given each other privacy when asked, but this was indeed a unique situation.

Brienne’s head chorus moved onto another song as she struggled to keep her thoughts calm. “No, it’s nothing really bad, Jaime. And it’s nothing to do with you. Well, not really. I just learned some things that I will share with you tomorrow, I promise. I just need the night to consider the information. Can you give me that?”

Jaime understood her point – with sharing each other’s thoughts and feelings all the time it could be difficult to find time for silence. Still, understanding did not stop the small pinch of hurt that his wife was keeping something from him that was clearly bothering her.

“Jaime…” Brienne leaned forward and kissed him, and he could feel unconditional love pouring out of her. “I’ll tell you in the morning, I promise.”

He took her at his word and laid down on the bed. Brienne hurried through her bath and climbed in next to him.

“You could have taken longer to soak your muscles, wench,” he teased, trying to keep the mood light.

“I would have, but someone used up most of the warm water,” Brienne laughed. They laid together in silence for a few moments, and Jaime could feel the tension roiling out of her despite her humor.

“Even if you don’t want to make love, am I still allowed to hold my wife?”

He heard Brienne let out a breath she must have been holding. “I would like that very much.”

Jaime pulled her into him, and they both relaxed as she laid her head on his chest. “Can we talk about something else?” Her moving lips tickled his chest as she spoke, making him smile.

“About what? How Podrick Payne nearly bested me today? I’m not sure I’ll ever live it down.” He felt Brienne chuckle against him.

“Well, he’s had excellent teachers.”

“Aye, wench he has. Maybe you can teach him to have pity on old cripples next time.”

Brienne leaned up and gave him a kiss to prove that she thought him neither old nor crippled. What he did in this world to deserve her as his soulmate, he did not know, but he would be spending the rest of his life thanking the gods for her.

“Do you think the Stark children will ever be able to live a normal life?”

Jaime groaned. “Gods, wench, after a kiss like that you want to talk about the Stark pups instead of kissing me more?”

Brienne laughed again. “Yes, I do. We are about to go to war, and the family in charge is a bit…”

“Off?”

She nodded.

Jaime thought for a moment. “Brandon Stark is not really Brandon Stark anymore. Calls himself the Three-eyed Raven and has handed over this Lordship to Rickon, who seems all right.”

“But that boy is also traumatized from his time with the Boltons,” Brienne added.

“You think?”

She nodded again. “He eats less and less every day, and jumps at the smallest sounds.” Jaime rubbed Brienne’s back as she spoke. Her concern for the young Stark boy, evident.

“Well Arya terrifies me. You can see it in her eyes; she’s a killer now,” Jaime said. “I don’t know what happened to her, and I don’t know if she will ever come back.”

Brienne agreed. “She will be a powerful ally in the battles to come, but I worry about her in the world afterwards.”

“At least Sansa seems to be alright.”

Brienne hesitated before speaking. “I’m not sure Sansa is as blameless as you think.”

He studied his wife for a moment. “You mean Littlefinger?” The couple had entertained thoughts after they left Casterly Rock that there was more to the suicide of Petyr Baelish than met the eye.

Brienne agreed. “She all but confirmed it today, when she and Arya were having an argument about whether or not the elder sister could care for herself if needed. From what it sounded like, I think Littlefinger did a lot more with her than travel, poor girl.”

A wave of sadness washed over his wife, and he didn’t need to read the thoughts she was blocking to know the reason.

“Brienne, it’s not your fault,” Jaime said.

“I promised Lady Catelyn I would return them safely. They were not safe, not at all,” Brienne said, her voice cracking.

“You did the best you could under the circumstances. If you recall, you nearly met the same fate at the hands of Locke’s men.” Jaime hugged his wife closer, thinking about that awful night. Her screams would forever haunt his dreams.

“Yes, but you saved me.”

“You didn’t need saving, you were holding your own in fighting them, I could hear.”

She scowled at him. “Don’t minimize it, don’t make light of what you did. Of what you lost.”

Brienne kissed his stump. Jaime shrugged. “I could have lost more. I thought I did when my soulmark was cut off.”

His wife squeezed him tightly. “But you didn’t. You came back for me.”

“I dreamed of you. I still do.”

He kissed her and snuggled into the bed, getting sleepy. Brienne ran her fingers through his hair. If he was a cat, he would have purred at her ministrations.

“Your hair is still dirty,” she said.

“I wouldn’t dare wash it without my wench nearby, she would have my head.”

Brienne chuckled. “I’ll gladly wash it for you in the morning. Good night, love.”

Jaime drifted off to sleep, the tunes his wife was humming in her head to block her thoughts serving as a lullaby.

**

When he opened his eyes the next morning, he was met with her big blue ones staring right back at him. He wondered if Brienne had slept at all, and how her eyes could still be so bright despite the dark circles underneath them.

“I’m ready to talk to you now, Jaime,” she said softly, a smile playing on her lips.

“Why are you still singing ‘The Bear and the Maiden Fair’ in your head then?”

Brienne laughed. “Because I want to tell you myself, not have my crazy husband read my thoughts.”

He sat up in bed, eagerly awaiting what she had to say. “So, what did Bran Stark tell you that caused you such trouble?”

Brienne opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Jaime wanted to scream in frustration.

Brienne was already out of bed and dressing fully. Jaime sighed and followed suit. When he opened the door, his brother was standing there looking upset.

“I’m sorry to interrupt what precious little time you have for relaxation as of late, brother, but we have received a raven from father.” Tyrion handed the note to Jaime.

“The Targaryen girl is dead, assassinated by slave owners in Essos. Now that the problem is no more, Tommen is marching here with his armies to aid in the war against the Night King,” Jaime told Brienne as he read.

“The northerners aren’t going to take too kindly to the king showing up at their gate, especially since they’ve started hinting that Jon Snow should now be the King in the North,” Tyrion said in a low voice.

“We’re going to have to do our best to keep the peace between both sides, and stress the importance of being a united front in the war against the white walkers,” Brienne said. “Obviously your father believed you about them in the letters you sent.”

“Or he’s just here to make a play for power and ensure we are doing our part in keeping the whole kingdom in the family,” Jaime said.

“Well, I’m part of both families now,” Tyrion said. “So, we are going to have to do our best to keep the peace. Jaime, you managed to be convincing to father and Tommen before; hopefully you will be able to do so again.”

Jaime nodded. Before they could discuss the issue further, they heard a loud ruckus coming from the keep’s courtyard. Screams filled the air and people were running away from the sound. The Lannisters did the opposite and ran in the direction of the danger. Jaime and Brienne grabbed their swords before exiting the room.

When they entered the courtyard, they froze in shock at the scene before them. There were three large dragons filling almost the entire space. And they were lowering their heads as if bowing to the man in front of them – Jon Snow.

Brienne was in such shock that she stopped the song she had been singing in her mind and all her thoughts rushed into Jaime. He dropped the sword he had been holding and turned so he was standing between her and the dragon.

“You’re what?” he screamed, all thoughts of the fire-breathers behind him forgotten. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we have dragons! I'm sad this fic is getting close to the end!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime reacts to Brienne's news and they all make their way to the Wall to fight the Night King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Here's the latest chapter. Thanks to my lovely beta thenerdyblogger for being so awesome. I hope you all enjoy this.

All eyes in Winterfell were on the dragons in the courtyard, except for a bright pair of green eyes that were fixed on his wife.

“Jaime, I’m sorry you found out like this, but now is not the best time,” Brienne whispered. She hoped she could get her husband to focus on the task at hand – figuring out if these dragons were going to burn down the castle.

Jaime opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted when one of the dragon’s roared and the brave souls who had gathered gasped. He finally turned to look at the beasts, but kept his body firmly in front of hers.

_ Fool of a man. You think I need protecting now, don’t you?  _ Brienne sent the thought to her husband.

_ I always think you need protecting, wench. Just as you think I do. _

She would give him that. Everything in her fought the urge to drag him away from the dangers of the dragon. But they were knights, and they faced any danger that came their way, together.

Jon Snow was facing danger himself, approaching the dragons despite the protests of his family and comrades. He gingerly reached out and touched one of the dragons, which nudged him affectionately, and the other two moved their heads closer to receive similar treatment.

“What? How?” Jon asked, clearly at a loss for words as to why the dragons were here.

“If you will, Your Grace, we received word today that the Mother of Dragons was killed in Essos,” Tyrion stepped forward, his eyes captivated by the dragons. “Perhaps they fled after her death. And came to you.”

Jon nodded, but continued to look confused. “But why me? Why here?”

Sam Tarly stepped forward. “Jon, there is something that Bran and I have been meaning to tell you.”

He explained that Jon was actually the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Everyone in the courtyard was frozen in shock at this news.

“The dragons found you because you are the last Targaryen,” Bran said.

Jon ran from the courtyard in a panic. “But the dragons! What are we supposed to do with them?” Tyrion shouted after him. When he received no answer, he ordered that some meat from their stores be brought out to feed the beasts. Tyrion and Pod volunteered for the first shift in watching the dragons until Jon returned and decided what to do about them.

As soon as that matter was resolved, Jaime grabbed Brienne and yanked her into the nearest hallway. He looked around before speaking. “You’re pregnant?” He knew the truth even as he said the words, but Brienne nodded anyway. He was looking down at her stomach with such wonder, she didn’t know why she was so hesitant to tell him last night. It would have made her feel better about this whole thing.

Jaime reached and placed his hands gently on her belly. “Why didn’t you want to tell me? What did the Stark boy say?”

Brienne hesitated, not wanting to ruin the joy of the moment.

“I wanted to know what the prophecy might mean about us being one, along with our swords being one to beat the Night King,” Brienne said. “I thought he might have the answers, being the Three-eyed Raven.”

Jaime smirked “I thought by us being ‘one’ he meant, you know…” he waggled his eyebrows at her.

Brienne rolled her eyes. “"But Jaime, it's not like we're going to be having sex  _ while  _ fighting the Night King."

Her husband laughed at her words, and she savored the sound. She had a feeling there would not be too many moments for shared laughter in the war ahead.

“Well, the joined swords are easy enough to figure out. We need to fight him together,” Jaime said. Brienne nodded. Her heart was in a panic thinking of the man she loved so close to the Night King, but she’d wager he felt the same way. But at least she would be by his side to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid, like die on her.

Jaime reached out and squeezed her hand with his. She’s forgotten for a moment that he knew her thoughts, but found it comforting now.

“We’ll be alright, wench,” he said softly.

“Bran suggested that the two of us becoming one might mean a child. And it dawned on me during the conversation that I had not had my monthly courses in awhile. We’ve been so busy that I hadn’t noticed,” Brienne told him.

“And that sent you into a panic,” Jaime concluded. “And not wanting to talk to your husband about it.”

“Of course. We are about to go to war, and I’m with child! My body will feel different and strange and I won’t be able to fight.” It felt good to Brienne to finally be able to voice her concerns to Jaime, no one knew her as much as him and would understand.

“Does it?”

“What?”

“Does your body feel differently than it did yesterday before you knew?”

Brienne froze for a moment – he was right. Other than a bit of a stomach ache after breakfast and the urge to sleep a bit longer, she felt the same.

“Well, no, I suppose it doesn’t.”

Jaime grinned at her. “Brienne, you are the strongest woman I know. If anyone can navigate the perils of pregnancy tougher than most, it’s you.”

Brienne was filled with pride at his words.

“Thank you for not insisting that I play the helpless pregnant woman and sit out of the fight,” she added.

“I wouldn’t dare. I very much would like to keep my head on my shoulders.” He laughed, and she loved the way his eyes sparkled when he did, but they soon turned serious. “Besides, it sounds like we have no choice in the matter anyway.”

From the sounds of the prophecy – it did seem like it was up to them to defeat the Night King.

“You and me, the fate of the worlds in our hands...sounds about right,” Jaime said. “When this is over we are holing ourselves up somewhere and not fighting any battles for at least a month.”

Brienne laughed. “Only a month?”

“I’m sure the world will be in danger again by then and you will insist on rushing off to help.”

“You know me too well, husband,” she said.

Jaime leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss, which was interrupted by the sound of screeching dragons. “Damn dragons--are they going to do that every time I kiss my wife?”

The noise got louder, and they went back in the courtyard just in time to see Jon Snow mount one of the dragons and ride it high into the sky.

“Looks like our odds against the Night King just got better,” Brienne said, as they watched the sight with awe.

**

The arrival of the dragons had only delayed their journey to The Wall by a few days, but they finally were able to get there. The presence of the beasts, and the fact that Jon Snow seemed able to work with them, boosted the morale of the men of The Night’s Watch and the Wildlings.

It seemed the army of the dead had been slowly gathering in the woods beyond the wall, and they did not know when they would make their attack. The blue eyes staring at them in silence gave everyone the chills.

Jaime and Brienne made the best of their time when they weren’t needed for watch duties or strategy meetings, snuggling together in bed to keep out the cold.

On their third day there, with still no movement from the army of the dead, they heard a signal notifying them that there was an army at their gates on the Westeros side of the wall.

King Tommen and the army from King’s Landing had arrived. While those in the North were surprised and overjoyed that more had come to their aid, Jaime and Tyrion exchanged nervous glances. Brienne knew they were concerned about their father’s reaction to the fact that they now had a trueborn son of Rhaeghar Targaryen at the helm of the North’s army.

Their fears were justified when Tywin Lannister stormed up to them.

“I sent you two up here to secure the North, not produce another king out of it. Now your marriage serves me no purpose at all, Tyrion,” he said angrily. “You were our connection to the Starks, but now that family has a stronger and better claim to the throne.”

“I don’t want the throne, not at all. All I care about is defeating the Night King and keeping the North safe. Making sure my family keeps their home at Winterfell,” Jon Snow interjected. Tywin gave him a look that could cut down the ice that held the wall in place, unimpressed with his words.

“You say that now, boy, but what about when the war is done? You have an entire army at your disposal, if you all survive. King’s Landing is ready to defend itself from your invasion. My grandson has every right to claim the throne as you do.”

“Well, your army is going to have to work its way through our army,” said Tormund. The red-headed wildling growled at the Lannister patriarch. Brienne didn’t care for the man, especially all the unsavory leers he sent in her direction. She had spent a better part of her time in Winterfell stopping Jaime from beating the wildling up. And now it seemed he was ready to start a war with the king’s army.

The tension in the room was palpable. Tywin stormed closer so that he was toe to toe with Jon Snow. Tyrion and Jaime were unsure who to side with.

“Enough!” said a voice from the back of the room. King Tommen, who had been standing meekly now strode forward with a disgruntled look on his face. “I didn’t come here to fight about the Iron Throne. I came here to lend our aid in the war against the dead. There is still a war to fight, isn’t there?”

Jaime smiled at Tommen’s words, and Brienne could feel that he was proud of him. “There is indeed. The Night King’s army has been gathering, but has not made a move yet.”

Tommen nodded. “My army is yours to command, Uncle Jaime. And I suppose you are answering to Jon Snow for purposes of this war, so they are his at the moment.”

“This is ridiculous. You are king! You are the one in command.”

Tommen smiled sadly at his grandfather. “Actually, I don’t believe I am.”

They all stared at the king in surprise.

“What on earth are you talking about? Of course, you are!” Tywin’s face was getting red with his anger.

Tommen turned and smiled at Jaime. “I’m not the trueborn son of Robert Baratheon, and therefore really have no claim to the throne.”

Jaime turned white, and Brienne could feel the panic that flooded him. Was Tommen saying he knew the truth about his parentage?

Before anyone could recover from their surprise, the horn sounded to indicate that they were under attack.

The army of the dead was coming.

They rushed out to join their ranks and prepare for the attack. Brienne felt something wet and cold hit her nose. She looked up to see snow falling from the sky.

Winter was here.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left! It will definitely not go up on Saturday because I will be camping and there is no wi-fi i the middle of the woods. :) If I can put it up on Friday morning, I will, but if not it will have to be on Sunday night. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has supported this fic! Your kudos and comments bring me joy. :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle against the Night King, and who will sit on the Iron Throne?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the end of the road! Posting a day early due to camping. Thanks to everyone for all your support during this fic! Thanks to thenerdyblogger for the beta read! Hope you enjoy the ending.

Fighting side-by-side with someone who could read your mind was exceptionally helpful. Jaime and Brienne moved practically as one, slicing through white walkers with their Valyrian steel swords.

Those same Valyrian steel swords had become fiery swords. When they had raised them to attack the oncoming dead, the swords had burst into magical flames easily cutting through the walking dead. Cheers rose up around them as he and his wife exchanged incredulous looks.

It seemed the prophecies could very well be true. Jaime and Brienne exchanged a silent look, through their connection plotting their strategy to cut through white walkers in the direction of the Night King, who so far was watching the battle from the tree line. They needed to end this by taking out the leader.

Unfortunately, there were many white walkers between them and their prey. Jon Snow seemed to guess their plan and shouted orders for the men to clear a path as best they could for the couple before mounting a dragon and burning as many of the dead as he could. The other dragons joined in, until one was felled by a spear thrown by the Night King.

“Jaime, an opening!” Brienne shouted as they neared the back of the Night King’s forces. The two made their way through the remaining fighters. They saw the Night King smirking at them from his position. He had already dismounted his horse to take down the dragon, and he pulled out a sword, ready to fight.

His warriors surrounding him seemed ready to protect him first, but an arrogant nod of his head indicated that they should join the rest of the armies in the fight and leave Jaime and Brienne to him.

Jaime took one last look at his wife, his heart swelling at the sight of her in warrior mode. Sweat glistening down from her hair, her vibrant blue eyes shining with determination, Oathkeeper drawn and her entire body coiled in anticipation.

She was glorious.

Before charging their enemy, he stepped closer to her and gave her a kiss.

“Jaime, what are you doing?” He grinned that his wife was annoyed with him for breaking the fighting mood.

“I love you, Brienne. Soulmate or not. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I just wanted to let you know that before we go to our certain death,” Jaime told her before kissing her again. “I love our baby too, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure he or she lives to see the world we are saving.”

Brienne clung to his shoulder as if she never wanted to let him go. “I love you too, Jaime. And we will get through this. All three of us. Our baby needs his father too.”

Father. He would finally be a father to a child he could claim. If living wasn’t enough of an incentive, the thought of sharing that life with Brienne and their child made him more determined to end this war today.

He stepped back and gave his wife a determined look, which she matched. “Let’s go.”

The two of them turned back to the smirking Night King and ran at him full force. For being centuries old, the monster could move in a fight. He matched them blow for blow, keeping up with the two seasoned fighters attacking him at their maximum effort.

This was wrong. They were each fighting him on opposite sides, trying to divert his attention long enough for the other to get a blow in. This was not how they were supposed to do it. Two as one, that was what the prophecy had said.

He met eyes with Brienne, and saw understanding in them. With one last blow toward the Night King, which he blocked, she crossed to stand next to Jaime.

They crossed their fiery swords, and the flames grew brighter. The Night King stared at them, his eyes wide, but the smirk did not leave his face. Perhaps it was his arrogance that allowed them to dodge his attack and plunge their joined swords into his stomach.

The moment their steel met the Night King, Jaime felt his entire body engulf in heat. Brienne and Jaime’s minds were one, and it was if their bodies were one. In that one moment, he saw flashes her whole life and his entire existence leading to this moment. Their joint strength helped them push the swords inward even as the monster was trying to push them away.

And then he got flashes in his mind of a different sort. Brienne holding their baby. Jaime teaching their daughter to sword fight. A son roaming the halls of Casterly Rock. His wife with greying hair watching the sunset. He saw his entire future with Brienne. Through their soulmate connection, he knew she was seeing it too. This is what they were fighting for, this was why defeat was not an option.

Jaime and Brienne both screamed simultaneously, and their swords glowed even brighter as they continued to push into the Night King, who roared with rage before he fell to the ground. His blue eyes flickered out as he died.

Jaime felt himself land on his knees as he breathed heavily, waves of exhaustion consuming him. He felt Brienne’s emotions of exhaustion and relief pouring out of her, so he knew she was alive. He didn’t have the strength to even look at her.

Jaime’s last thought before he lost consciousness was how their crossed swords during the fight had resembled their soulmarks.

**

He was alive--that was Jaime’s first thought when he woke up. The second was where the seven hells was his wife.? He opened his eyes to see he was laying on a bedroll among many injured – the fight was over, but the amount of wounded men was great. The few maesters on hand were running from bedroll to bedroll, offering aid.

Jaime gave himself a glance over to see that he was not bleeding. It seemed he had been unceremoniously dumped on a bedroll to sleep off his stupor. A quick mental scan revealed that Brienne was very much alive, though on the other side of the castle.

_ Jaime! You’re awake! Stay there my love, I will come to you. _

_ How is it that I fell unconscious after the battle and you are walking around seemingly alright?  _ Jaime felt a sense of relief to hear her thoughts in his head.

_ I’m just made from stronger stuff, I guess. _

_ Don’t I know it, wench.  _ Jaime chuckled, looking forward to the day when they would be back on the training field proving who was the strongest. They would probably trade back and forth on who got to win.

“As if you could ever beat me,” came a voice from behind him, and Jaime turned to see his favorite face in the world.

“Wench!” He stood up and kissed her. “I will absolutely beat you…someday. I will require a lot of sparring practice first though. You will probably have to wrestle me to the ground…often.”

Brienne smacked his arm, but grinned at him. “Shut up, idiot.” This time, she was the one that kissed him.

“Seriously, Brienne, what happened?”

Brienne looked sadly over at the injured men in the room. “After the Night King fell, all the other white walkers fell as well. The war was over immediately. I’m only sorry we didn’t get to him sooner. We could have prevented all of this.”

Jaime squeezed her hand. “We did the best that we could do, with the time we were given. And we saved the damned world, wench. Can’t we at least be a little happy?”

She smiled at him. “Yes, I suppose that we can.”

“Now please tell me why I fainted like a squire and you did not.”

“I think it was her…our child. She was with us, and I fought to stay on my feet, so I could make sure she was safe,” Brienne said.

Jaime placed his hand on her stomach. “So you felt and saw it too?”

Brienne covered his hand with hers. “Our daughter.”

“She’s going to be a fierce warrior, like her mother,” Jaime said with wonder.

Brienne beamed with pride. “And her father.”

“Did you see the others?”

“Our children? Yes…Jaime do you think…”

“That it’s all true? Yes, somehow, I do. Somehow, I know it to be true,” Jaime said.

“Me too.” Brienne’s eyes glistened with happy tears.

“So how long do we have to wait here? When can we leave all this behind and go home?” Now that Jaime had seen their perfect life together, he wanted it to start immediately.

“Soon, I hope, but there is a matter of who will rule the seven kingdoms to settle first,” Brienne told him.

“Why do they need us for that?” Jaime did not care who sat on the Iron Throne, as long as his family was safe.

Brienne hesitated, but Jaime could read the name that popped into her thoughts. “Tommen, what’s going on with Tommen?”

His son’s declaration before their battle flooded into Jaime’s memories.

“He’s refusing to settle the whole thing until he can talk to you,” Brienne told him. “Did  you know he and Jon Snow were arguing over who HAD to be king, not who wanted to? It seems neither is all that interested. Your father volunteered to rule, but no one is keen on that idea.”

Jaime agreed with everyone on that point. “So, Tommen knows, that I’m his father.”

“He hasn’t said in as many words, but I would say so.” Brienne hugged him. “You’re going to have to talk to him about it.”

He didn’t even need to ask if Brienne would go with him. He knew she would regardless. They walked to the rooms where they heard a shouting match going on. Jon Snow and friends were waiting outside the room.

“We thought it was safer out here,” Snow said with a laugh. “Let us know when it’s safe to enter again.”

Jaime nodded, braced himself, and opened the door. Brienne followed.

“You stupid idiot! I did not work so hard to get you on the Iron Throne only for you to give it away. You will do as you’re told and continue to be King of the Seven Kingdoms. Or I will take you over my knee and beat some sense into you!”

Jaime slammed his hand on the table, and both his father and Tommen jumped.

“Do not speak to him that way!”

Tommen gave Jaime a small smile, and it took everything in his power not to toss Tywin out of the room on his ass to protect his son from more of the man’s bile.

“You mean your son. He should not speak to your son that way,” Tommen said. His voice was sure and his head was held higher than Jaime had ever seen it.

Jaime gave him a smile. “Yes, you should not speak to…my son that way.”

The tension left Tommen’s shoulders and he returned Jaime’s smile.

“I don’t want to listen to this foul conjecture,” Tywin spat.

“Well, then I suggest you leave, Lord Tywin,” Brienne angrily.

Tywin scowled at Brienne before storming from the room. “Fine, do let me know who I shall be calling king tomorrow. The kingdom won’t last long regardless.”

The three of them breathed a sigh of relief when the man left.

“How long have you known?” Jaime asked quietly.

Tommen studied Jaime for a moment, as if he was seeing him for the first time. “I haven’t really known, it’s been more of a feeling, based on your behavior and mother’s. And everyone always is telling me I’m the spitting image of you when you were young.”

Brienne stepped forward so that she was side by side with Jaime. “If you didn’t know for sure, why did you tell everyone that you weren’t Robert’s true born son?”

Tommen smiled. “Did you see the look on Uncle Jaime’s face? I was able to get the truth very quickly.”

Jaime sat down in the closest chair. “That is quite a risk, Tommen. You shouldn’t go around declaring the truth like that. It could get you killed. You will lose your crown.”

Tommen looked at his father angrily. “I don’t care! I don’t want the crown. And it was never supposed to be mine anyway. I’m your son, not Robert’s. I have no claim to the throne.”

Jaime sighed. “And what claim did Robert have to the throne? He took it. And many centuries ago the Targaryens took it with their dragons. You’ve proved yourself to be a more than worthy king by coming here and fighting for the living and for being willing to give up your throne if it means that it’s best for the kingdom.”

“You really think I could be a good king?” Tommen asked timidly.

“I know it.”

“But that means that we couldn’t be father and son. And I…I want to be your son.” Tommen was crying now, and Jaime pulled him into his arms. He couldn’t believe that he was actually hugging his son, who knew the truth of who he was.

“Tommen, you will always be my son. Whether you are king or not. It means the world to me that you know, and I want to be part of your life,” Jaime assured the young boy.

He looked over at Brienne, who was crying and nodding. Sharing emotions with your soulmate was tough when one was overflowing with them.

In the end, they convinced the two reluctant kings to share the crown. Jon Snow would be the king of the north, Tommen the king in the south. A council from both kingdoms would serve to advise the kings and to foster harmony between the two kingdoms. Marriages would be arranged between each royal family and all the noble houses to solidify their accords.

“I expect you to still spend some of your time in King’s Landing,” Tommen said after Jaime had been named Warden of the West. Brienne assured him that they would not be strangers. Her father had been named Lord Paramount over the Stormlands, and there was the promise that their second child would inherit that position.

It was several weeks before they were able to leave the North. Jaime had promised his wife that they would not abandon Westeros to its fate, and that they would be involved in the rebuilding and restructuring of the two new kingdoms as much as possible.

Tyrion would serve as Tommen’s new hand, the Lannister patriarch washing his hands of the entire thing. Jaime was worried that Tywin would return to Casterly Rock with him and Brienne, but the older man said that King’s Landing was his home, and he needed to keep an eye on his son and grandson, lest they embarrass the family name.

Jaime and Brienne enjoyed themselves on the road back to King’s Landing. Though it was nice to have a roof over their head, there was something to be said about snuggling under the night sky. It reminded Jaime of their first days together.

One night, Jaime laid with his head on Brienne’s chest, his finger caressing her soulmark. “I’m so lucky you have this. You hated me before you knew about it.”

Brienne chuckled. “Idiot man, I was already half mad for you before I knew.”

Jaime was surprised. “You were?”

“Did you not notice I called you Ser Jaime instead of Kingslayer?”

Jaime laughed. “Only my wench would call that flirting.”

Brienne rolled over so that she was on top of him, pinning him to the ground. “Shut up, idiot,” she said before kissing him.

Jaime ran his hand over her body until it stopped on her stomach. He had done a lot of terrible things in his life, and he didn’t know what good he might have done to deserve his wife and the babe she carried inside.

“You are an honorable man, Jaime,” Brienne said.

“Stop reading my mind, wench.”

“You’re thinking too loud,” she teased, echoing a frequent complaint he gave her.

“Maybe you should do something to distract me.” Jaime arched his eyebrow seductively toward his wife, knowing that look usually did Brienne in.

“No, not right now, Jaime. There are too many soldiers with us,” Brienne said. “Just kiss me.” 

He obeyed her demand immediately, wondering what she would have done if he hadn’t. 

“I would challenge you to spar, to teach you how dangerous it is to deny your wife a kiss,” Brienne answered his thoughts. 

“Well if you won’t let me make love to you, at least we can fight.” 

The two warriors battled until dawn arrived, the men travelling with them watched the match. Tales would be told from there on out about how the Lannister couple settled all their marital disputes with their crossed swords. 

It was their soulmark after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for coming along for the ride! We need more JB soulmate fics! I will try to do more in the future, and you should too. If you have a good prompt for one, hit me up! 
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and comments on this story, they have meant the world to me. Have a great weekend everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I really hope you enjoyed it. Drop a comment and let me know what you think. I'm really sorry if you are a hug Dany fan.


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